The Mark of Athena
by readingqueen811
Summary: Not your average Mark of Athena story. Still being continued after the book has come out. They actually get to Rome in this one. Seriously, just try it, you'll like it. Percabeth, Jasper, Frazel, and some of my impossible ships.
1. Worries on Flight

The Mark of Athena

(My Version)

Annabeth I

As soon as Jason, Leo and Piper had returned from their quest and found the blueprint for the Argo II, Annabeth was panicked. She wouldn't let you get more than eight hours of sleep unless you worked more than ten hours on the Argo II during the day. Even the Hermes cabin couldn't figure out how she managed to put alarm owls in every single cabin in one night. Annabeth had worked for at least thirteen hours every day and she only got about five hours of sleep. Her hair was always falling out of it's ponytail and around her face because she never had time to redo it. There were dark circles under her eyes and she would randomly either burst in to tears or anger spontaneously. The only people who she let see her after campfire were Piper and Rachel. Piper was the best with advice for Annabeth about what to do when she saw Percy again. You see, her boyfriend had gone missing eight months, nine days, five hours twenty six minutes and three... no four seconds ago (she'd been counting). Percy had been switched with Jason from the Roman camp and Annabeth had worked relentlessly to find him. In only three days, they'd take off to California to find the Roman camp since that was the closest Jason could remember to where the Roman camp was. Anyway, Piper would say, "Come on Annabeth, it'll be ok, you'll see Percy again. My mom will make it allright. Just please don't cry." Rachel on the other hand would try to cheer her up with silly skits and stuff but the downside was she'd spontaneously burst into prophecy in the middle of them and it would either make Annabeth crack up or start crying again.

Piper II

The days seemed to last forever. Piper's nails were charred with dirt and ash, her feet ached and she basically didn't look like a member of the Aphrodite cabin anymore. Of course in the morning after she showered she looked beautiful, but at the end of the day she looked like a member of the Hephaestus cabin. Everyone did. The campers worked from dawn till dark on the Argo II (thanks to Annabeth). Every day Piper and the rest of the Aphrodite cabin woke up to the sound of owls screeching and they only had ten minutes to shower and get dressed before Annabeth would come in and pull you out of the cabin even if you were still in your pajamas and force you to work on the Argo II. Of course that only happened to Drew (who was forced to shower last every day by the rest of the cabin) every day and Conner and Travis Stoll had so many pictures of Drew in the morning that they covered the inside of the Hermes compartment of the Argo II. Piper had thought that it was nice that Leo made a compartment for each cabin. Even though they totaled up to about twenty when all of the compartments were added. Right now the only thing that they were working on was the exterior and interior decorating of the Argo II. The outside gleamed the colors of fire (according to Leo's precise instructions) and there was the gleaming head of Festus on the front. The Aphrodite compartment (the only one that Piper could see) was decorated with satiny pink walls. The beds were made of gleaming gold and the comfertors and pillows had dove down in them. The perfect cabin for Aphrodite's children.

Piper wasn't concerned with all of this stuff though. She was concerned about Annabeth. Annabeth looked like a mess and Piper wasn't sure how Percy would take it if his girlfriend looked how she did when he saw her again. So every day Piper would pray to her mom to clean Annabeth up as soon as they reached the Roman camp because seriously Annabeth needed to look the way that she'd feel when she was happy again.

Leo III

"All aboard to Camp Jupiter!" Leo called. The Argo II was finally finished and he'd just finished his scroll/iris message thingy and sent it to Percy so hopefully the Romans wouldn't shoot them out of the sky. There was a compartment on the ship for every cabin at Camp Half Blood. They had a 20 foot deep pool (which Leo figured Percy would love when he came on the ship), a HWii (a Hepheastus-Cabin-Made Wii) which people could play whenever they wanted without it going haywire since it ran on magic; not electricity, a weapon room (to store their weapons for when they went to Greece), and finally the best feature (or so Leo thought) a 100 foot food court with every food from Pizza to Shish-kabob, Chinese to Apple Pie, Ambrosia to Tin cans (hey they had some satyrs aboard) and every other kind of food you could think of.

As soon as those words came out of Leo's mouth; Annabeth knocked him over in a rush to get on the ship. She had on her pink Designer of Olympus t-shirt and white jeans which were piled with dirt. There was a hastily packed bag at her side and her hair wasn't even in a ponytail. "Woah," Leo thought before he was trampled over by the rest of the 300 specially selected campers (lottery selected if they weren't one of the suspected seven) the last thing Leo remembered was having someone's converse sneaker in his mouth.

Annabeth

IV

"Calm down." Annabeth thought to herself as she sat in the Athena cabin's bunks on the Argo II. Just a couple minutes ago, Leo had announced that they were currently flying over Illinois. Thalia had Iris-Messaged the ship an hour ago and said that her and the Hunters of Artemis would get on the ship when they made a pit stop in Arizona. Annabeth had contacted Thalia back at Camp Half-Blood and asked her if she could come on board the Argo II before they reached Camp Jupiter. Annabeth didn't want to risk Percy not remembering her without getting pulverized by Thalia. Which she had promised she would do if Percy didn't remember Annabeth, "Percy will remember you, he just has to. Hera can't be that cruel. Can she?"

"Hey," Piper said as she came up to Annabeth. "Wow, you're certainly love struck."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Annabeth asked. "I haven't seen my boyfriend in over eight months."

"I wasn't saying that it was a bad thing. I was just saying that I could tell how much you love Percy just by looking at you." You know that's very rare.

Piper

V

Piper had been dreaming the night before. Instead of her usual Gaea-Filled dreams this time she was in multiple places at once. But the same people were there. First she was standing at Camp Half-Blood watching a much younger Annabeth and a boy with raven black hair who she assumed was Percy. Percy struggled across the camp borders while carrying Grover. Annabeth saw him and her eyes lit up. Then it was about a year later, Percy and Annabeth raced across the finish line in a chariot race and then Annabeth kissed him on the cheek. The memories continued; Percy searching for Annabeth, Annabeth's jealousy of Rachel, Annabeth and Percy kissing underwater.

"Charming aren't they." A voice came from behind Piper. Piper turned around to see her mom Aphrodite smiling down at her with her perfect smile and ever-changing eyes. "How rare to find a love so pure, or one that shines with vibrancy as theirs."

"What do you mean?" Piper questioned of her mother.

"I only mean that even though I am the goddess of love and beauty I did not cause this to happen. I can only create lust or crushes or unattainable obsession but no, not true love. Since people have sort of stopped believing in true love it is very rare especially for demigods. But you would know that wouldn't you?"

"No I do not know." Piper answered.

"Here, let me give you an example that attributes to real life." As Aphrodite said that a diagram appeared in front of them blocking out the memories of Percy and Annabeth.


	2. Dreams Continued

**Ok to left off where I continued…**

The diagram had moving holograms of Jason, Piper and a very pretty girl who had and "if-you-cross-me-I-will-kill-you-without-breaking-a-sweat" look on her face. Piper was looking how she'd looked before they fought the earthborn and came back to camp. She had the blue dress and her ski-jacket on. Jason was wearing his purple t-shirt and Roman armor. The other girl was wearing a purple cape and a clean white stola.

"That is Reyna." Aphrodite said when she noticed Piper examining the girl with the stola. "She's had a crush on Jason for ages." I must confess that I was going to let it happen until you met Jason and I saw that you two had so much more chemistry then Jason and Reyna. So I've slowly been decreasing Jason's crush on Reyna since he was going to ask her out the day before he disappeared. But just like with Percy and Annabeth, you and Jason were unexpected and perfect for each other. It seems that Hera was playing match-maker this time."

"So you mean that Jason really does love me and even when he sees Reyna again they won't be together?" Piper questioned of her mother.

"Yes, if everything goes according to my plan." Aphrodite replied

"Thank you mom." And then Aphrodite and the dream disappeared as Piper awoke to the sound of Leo's voice over the command module: "Wake up sleepy campers! I can only run a boat for so long! It's time for Jason to take over!"

Jason

Jason had also experienced strange dreams that were visited by Aphrodite.

"Does this girl Reyna mean anything to you?" she'd ask as she saw him stare at the memories of him and Reyna that had started trickling back.

"No," he'd reply, "at least, I don't think so. She used to. But now. Ughh! Why is my life so confusing?"

"Well then you'd better figure it out before you come back to Camp Jupiter. Because your life is about to become a lot more confusing." Aphrodite would say before she'd dissapear.

This would happen every time that Jason remembered something about Reyna.

Leo

Leo was getting a bad feeling as they moved closer to camp. He kept fingering pictures that were near his bed in the Hephaestus compartment of the Argo II. There were ones of his grandfather, his mother, and his grandmother.

"Wake up sleepy campers!" Leo called as he awoke from almost falling asleep at the wheel of the Argo II. "I can only run a boat for so long! It's time for Jason to take over!"


	3. Chapter 3

Ok, I hate these Author's note things just as much as you do, but I was afraid that some of you thought that I was dead. I've written more of the Mark of Athena, even the percabeth reunion; I just haven't written the part that comes next. I also want to tell you guys that when the real Mark of Athena comes out I'll discontinue this story because Rick Riordan's version will be so much better. I also suggest that you check out my free verse poems if you want to know more about my thoughts on the Mark of Athena.


	4. Playing the Part

When they finally got to Texas, everyone was so excited to get off of the Argo II. Sure it was a great boat. But you can only take so much with your fellow campers in a confined space. Leo was the first off board and the rest followed in suit. When most of the campers had eaten and trickled back on (except Clovis who was still asleep in the restaurant with his head in his French fries) Jason made an announcement.

"Guess what guys!"

"What?" Everyone mumbled monotonously in response.

"Thalia and the hunters are on board!"

That made Annabeth rush out of Piper's view and hug her friend.

"Dude! You mean your totally hot sister is on this exact boa…." Leo stopped mid sentence because Thalia had crept up behind him and was now nonchalantly aiming her bow and arrow straight at his neck. Piper started laughing and couldn't contain herself as Thalia replied, "you were saying Leo?"

"Ummm nothing?" Leo timidly questioned which made Jason start laughing.

"Oh come on Leo," Thalia replied, "you know we're all down with love." And with that, her and the rest of the Hunters went to go find their cabin.

Leo had decided to stop in a little town around Anaheim, California before they headed to San Francisco in the morning. It was about 1:00 in the morning and everyone was stressed so they decided to stop iat an I-HOP. There were a couple of truckers in the I-HOP who looked at them a little weird. Thalia had manipulated the mist so that the Argo II looked like an oversized limo. But it still must've been weird to the poor mortals who saw over one hundred kids climb out of an oversized limo looking like they'd just escaped a prison. As soon as they went in, Annabeth plopped down in an empty booth and started crying; which made the truck drivers stare at them and give them even weirder looks. Piper, Thalia and Rachel sat down beside her.

"I can't take it anymore!" Annabeth sobbed. "There's no normal food on the ship, I look like a mess, we're eating at an I-HOP at 1:00 in the morning and to top it off I'm sobbing like a lovesick child of stinking Aphrodite! No offense Piper."

"None taken," replied Piper; who was looking at Drew talking to the waiter about which pancake had the lowest calories, "sometimes I can't stand them either."

Rachel put her arms around Annabeth which just made her sob even harder. "Don't worry Annabeth, it's all going to be okay."

"No it's not. Nothing is going to be okay. Not ever. There's always going to be another monster or titan or god," the sky rumbled "offense meant Mr. Zeus and if you strike me with lightning then you're going to kill your daughter right along with me so don't even think about it!" Annabeth's tears made a little river in her pancake but that just made her cry harder.

"What's wrong this time?" Thalia asked her.

"River…." Everyone at the table understood. The water from her tears reminded her of Percy and every tear made her more sad.

"Come on Annabeth, let's dry your eyes." Piper said.

In the girls' bathroom at the I-HOP Annabeth was surrounded by Rachel, Thalia and Piper as Piper dried Annabeth's eyes and applied some waterproof mascara just so that if Annabeth started crying again she would at least look semi-good. Then suddenly the lights in the bathroom flashed pink for a second and then turned off. When they stepped out of the bathroom to see what was going on they cried out in shock. Everyone who had been on the Argo II looked amazing.

"There's that blessing I was asking for, thanks mom." Piper muttered under her breath

All eyes turned on Annabeth. She looked better then Piper had ever seen her. Her used-to-be-tangle of hair was brushed and straightened as it was pulled into a high ponytail. Annabeth's grey eyes were surrounded by silver eyeshadow and the mascara that had smudged when the lights went out was now perfect. Then they saw her outfit. Annabeth was wearing silk silver pajama pants with a blue tank top and white ballet flats; perfect for 1:00 in the morning. Then, the song 'Little Wonders' from the Meet the Robinsons (if you don't know it, look it up on youtube)went on. After everyone got over the shock of seeing Annabeth look nice for the first time in eight months, they examined themselves.

Piper had her uneven hair braided back in a plait with pink ribbons braided in. Her ever-changing eyes were surrounded by gold eyeshadow, she was wearing pink silk pajama pants that matched Annabeth's with a white tank top, her ski jacket and black combat boots.

Thalia was wearing electric blue eyeshadow to match her electric blue eyes. Her black hair still had it's silver headband that signified the fact that she was a Hunter of Artemis. Thalia was wearing silver camouflage sweatpants, some rock band t-shirt and matching combat boots to Piper's.

Everyone by now had examined themselves. All the girls were wearing tank tops or t-shirts and pajama pants. All the guys were wearing Camp Half Blood t-shirts and pajama pants. The truckers by now had started muttering something about ghost kids from outer space. Piper silently thanked her mom and then sat down to finish her pancake. This was a good thing. A very very good thing. But then Piper remembered something about Aphrodite. She loved tragic love stories. Would her mom's love for tragicness cause Piper to loose some of her new friends? Or would her mom spare them but have Piper have the tragic love story?

Hazel watched carefully as the giant warship descended from the sky. She could tell from the look on Octavian's face that he was thinking "Please hit something, please hit something!" Then Hazel heard a voice that sounded like Sammy come from the floating ship.

"Come on you guys! Once we land I'm just gonna slowly open the doors and it will be all Star-Wars-y…."

"Are you crazy?" Another voice answered and Hazel felt Percy stiffen. "I came all this way and I am not going to be delayed a second longer!" And with that, a blonde haired girl who looked like a princess came onto the top deck of the floating warship. She grabbed a rope and tied it onto one of the rails of the ship. The Princess girl Threw the rope over a mast and swung down. While the ship was still in the air! Her blond hair trailed out behind her and then Hazel noticed a dagger at her side. Then something more surprised her. Jason jumped off the ship. _The _Jason. The one they'd been searching for for ages! And what surprised her more is that he was hovering on the air.

"Annabeth what are you thinking?" He asked her. So, _she _was Annabeth. No wonder Hazel could feel Percy hyperventilating.

"I was thinking," Annabeth replied, "That I would have less of a chance of dying if I swung off the ship then if I trusted Leo with landing it." Jason laughed.

Then Annabeth noticed Percy and screamed "Percy!" But it wasn't a scream of delight; it was a scream of fear. Hazel turned around and saw that Percy was sinking into the earth!

Percy had a sinking feeling; literally. He almost saw a glimpse of Annabeth's face, but then Gaea had appeared.

"You didn't think that I was going to make this a little picnic did you? You are my pawn. Hera was right you know. Little Miss Chase will bring you closer to death than you've ever been before. Greeks and Romans unite? Hah! That's like saying the gods will destroy my sons with you!" Then Gaea's sleepy face laughed hard. Percy screamed.

"Let me go!" Then the spell was broken, but he was weak. Percy could see Annabeth, Hazel, Reyna, Frank, Rachel, Jason, a guy who looked like a Latino elf, and a very pretty girl with ever-changing eyes pull him up from the earth.

Percy awoke in the infirmary with everyone standing over him; Greek and Roman. Except Octavian. Annabeth was stroking his hand on his left side. Rachel stood next to her. Frank and Hazel were on Percy's right side. Everyone else was just crowding around them.

"You still drool when you sleep."

Some of the Roman campers just stared at Annabeth with awe and confusion since none of them would tell their praetor that he drooled in his sleep or call him Seaweed Brain. And confusion at the fact that most of the Greeks were laughing as if it was an inside joke. Percy smiled though he couldn't talk. Then Thalia burst into the room.

"Ok! Who's the wise guy who stole my bow?" She demanded and Percy swore he could see Connor and Travis Stoll snickering. Thalia cornered Connor and Travis and knocked them on the head with Aegis. Trembling they gave her back her bow; which she used to conk them on the head again. Then Thalia turned to Percy.

"Hello Kelp Face." The Romans whispered among themselves. Two insults to a praetor in one day? That just wasn't normal. Then again nothing about the past week had been normal. Thalia's voice once again interrupted their whispers.

"I'd like to introduce you to my brother…. Jason Grace." Everyone stared at the boy in the orange t-shirt who had just appeared next to the silver and black clan hunter.

"Yeah," Jason started "I'm Thalia's brother, and not half brother. We're actually almost all the way blood related, except for the fact that my dad's Jupiter and her dad's Zeus." Everyone stared at them in awe.

"You're Annabeth right?" Percy's face showed confusion. Piper thought his face resembled Jason's when he was grappling for memory. Apparently, Annabeth noticed that too.

"How much do you remember?" Annabeth's face went from sickly pale to deathly pale as the tender words left her mouth.

"How about I try to name everyone from camp?" Percy asked. It seemed like a fair trial to the campers from Camp Half Blood, so they took Percy up on the offer.

"Ummm," Percy started, but Piper could see that the confused expression from before wasn't as strong and it seemed he was on the verge of bursting into laughter. Maybe Percy really did remember.

"Ok, let me see." Percy started rattling off the tnames of the campers form left to right. "Connor, Travis, Nyssa, Clarisse, my girlfriend….." Piper turned quickly to see if Annabeth recognized the fact that Percy had said 'my girlfriend' when he got to her, but Annabeth hadn't noticed. It was sometime right after Percy had said 'Rachel' and 'Katie' that Annabeth finally got the message that Percy had sent her about ten names back. Piper thought Annabeth was going to hug Percy, but instead her hand smacked Percy's face with a loud 'slap!'

"Owww!" Percy complained, "Why did you do that?"

"What do you mean 'oww'? And I did that because you scared me half to death by making me think that you didn't remember me!

"I'm sorry I worried you Wise Girl, but I kind of lost the Curse of Achilles."

"You what?" Annabeth's hand slapped Percy's other cheek and then she leant over the hospital bed and kissed him.

A couple of older campers who'd known Percy and Annabeth for a long time rolled their eyes, but Leo, being the ignorant boy that he was whispered to Thalia; "Is their relationship always like that?"

"Pretty much," Thalia replied, "sometimes they duel first, sometimes Percy steals Annabeth's books. Speaking of that, I need to look away from them. I'm happy for them, but being a Hunter and all, there's only so much I can take." And with that, Thalia promptly left the room.

Suddenly a Roman messenger who looked like he was panting for breath rushed in. "Reyna has ordered a Senate meeting. All of the _Greeks_ are commanded to attend."

Reyna clenched her fists as the debate started. She was sooo done with Senate Meetings.

"Why should we trust you?" Octavian demanded. "How can we tell if you're lying? Is there anything stopping you from attacking us right now?"

It was Annabeth who responded. Though her face was still sickly pale, she looked determined and outraged as if Octavian had just insulted her knowledge.

"Do you seriously thin I would attack while my boyfriend," she glared at some of the Amazons who were eyeing Percy, "is Praetor?"

No one could really argue with that because Annabeth's eyes were as hard as stone. Reyna could tell that she was a dangerous enemy to have. There was a warrior-like glint in her eyes that showed she would've attacked Octavian by now if doing just that wouldn't put Percy's life on the stake.

Reyna's fists clenched again as the saw Jason whisper something to Piper: Who whispered something in reply. Then Piper stood up. A gorgeous smile was plastered on her face. She directed the smile at Octavian. Reyna thought that Jason would be mad about that, but instead he looked smug, as if he was finally getting revenge on Octavian.

"Octavian," Piper started sweetly, "could you do me a favor?" Octavian looked as if he was fighting against himself. His mouth was still locked in a scowl, but Reyna thought that Octavian's eyes couldn't resist the beauty that was Piper.

"Sure." Octavian replied in a strangled sort of voice as if he was trying to keep himself from speaking.

"Could you," Piper continued sweetly even though Reyna could sense discontent in her voice, "Shut up?" Octavian closed his mouth and didn't say another word. Reyna had to fight to keep herself from laughing. Octavian had fallen in love with Piper the graceus and he didn't seem to happy about it.

Octavian was silent for the rest of the Senate Meeting. For once his words had no effect. But then Reyna realized the 'gift' Piper had. Piper Mclean could make people do things.

It wasn't as if she 'convinced' people to do things, it was that Piper could charmspeak. Piper's few words and smile could be deadlier than a poisoned knife and that terrified Reyna. Especially since a girl with that power was now holding hands with Jason.

At first Reyna assumed that Piper was controlling Jason that way. That he was nothing more than a puppet at her beck and call. But then Reyna saw the way he looked at Piper. It wasn't in the way that Octavian did. Instead Jason actually really liked Piper. And Reyna knew that the goddess of love wouldn't interfere with her daughter's romance.

Tears crept into Reyna's eyes when the meeting finished. She couldn't fight it anymore. Reyna ran behind the Principia and plopped down in sobs. No one could see her like this. No one at all.

Annabeth immediately noticed that Reyna was trying to keep her composure. But it was hard seeing Jason and Piper's intertwined fingers. Annabeth saw Reyna leave in a rush. She was fighting back against the tears in the corners of her eyes. Annabeth gave Percy a quick kiss on the cheek, slipped on her Yankees hat and silently followed Reyna.

Annabeth found Reyna crying behind the Principila. She silently sat down next to her and took of the hat. Reyna jumped in surprise.

" Sorry," Annabeth apologized, "but you looked like you needed a friend." Reyna still looked startled but something about Annabeth's eyes seemed to calm her down.

"It's okay," Reyna started, "I just didn't want anyone to see me so vulnerable and exposed."

"It's natural to cry," Annabeth replied, "after Percy disappeared I cried every day on the fireworks beach at Camp Half Blood because I expected that any moment he would burst out of the water.

"You have a beach?" Reyna asked.

"Yes, it's really beautiful there. I mean I love the architecture here, but Camp Half Blood is the most peaceful place on earth for me….. At least when it's not being attacked by monsters." Reyna cracked a smile at that, though her dark hair dark hair fell into her face revealing the mess Reyna really was.

"You know, if more people saw this side of you, you might not be crying alone."

"What do you mean; this side of me?" Reyna asked, "The vulnerable side?"

"No," Annabeth calmly replied, "the human side. The side of you that shows you can love, and laugh, and cry. Because even though I'm not Roman I have a sneaking suspicion that some people think of their Praetor Reyna as a statue, solid and unmoving. It's interesting though, that it only takes one tear to crack that shell of stone and find that there's a person inside."

"But Romans dislike weakness, they dislike vulnerability."

"Remember you're only half Roman, you only need to be a statue at Senate Meetings, where Octavian holds power. But I doubt he will hold power there anymore." Reyna laughed at this. "But otherwise, there's no need to be a rock because even rocks crumble, and then everyone will know that you're only human. In other words, you can't always be firm because in a crisis, your composure will fall and then everyone will be able to tell you have emotion. It's better to show emotion through positive things then through negative things. On a totally different subject, why are you crying?"

"It's that I used to, and still do, have a crush on Jason, and I had just gotten up the courage to ask him out when he disappeared. And now he's come back holding hands with a daughter of Venus/Aphrodite, whatever, and I just know that the love goddess won't choose me over her daughter Piper." Reyna said Piper in the way that Octavian would say graceus.

"Piper's not so bad you know. She was totally worried that Jason had a Roman girlfriend, but then when his memories came back and he swore up and down that he didn't she was calm again. Piper revealed to me early on that she was willing to give up Jason if he had a Roman 'Annabeth'. In other words if he had a girlfriend back home that he didn't know about at first"

"I know that I shouldn't be mad at her but it's hard not to be especially since I know Venus will favor her daughter's love life over mine."

"Look, I'm not choosing sides on this, but just as long as you're still crying put on my hat. That way if any of your campers happen to walk by they won't see you."

Piper had been feeling bad ever since the Senate Meeting. She knew that Reyna had about reached her breaking point, but Piper was afraid to talk to her because she thought Reyna might try to kill her on sight. The daggers her eyes had shot Piper during the meeting were enough for Piper to tell that any minute Reyna was expecting Piper to hand her a note that said:

Roses are red violets are blue

Jason's for me and not for you

And if by any chance you take my place

I'll get Katropis and smash your face

But Piper wasn't that kind of girl; she was willing to give Jason up for good if he suddenly had a Roman girlfriend that he remembered. Piper had noticed Reyna leave, and Annabeth silently slip after her. She had felt compelled to apologize to Reyna but Piper didn't know what to apologize for: For stealing the guy that she liked when he didn't even remember her? For charmspeaking Octavian? For landing on a giant warship in the middle of Camp? Those weren't the kind of things that Piper could imagine herself saying to someone. But the least she could do was not hate Reyna and make sure that Reyna didn't hate her. Piper had looked all over Camp Jupiter and New Rome and she couldn't find Reyna anywhere. She only had one more place to check; behind the Principia.

Piper didn't see anyone, but she heard crying. Sobbing to be exact. Piper had become very good at that in the past eight months. Mostly because Piper had found Annabeth sobbing like that. But this wasn't one of Annabeth's sobs, it had to be Reyna.

Piper sat down next to Reyna, but pretended she didn't know Reyna was there.

"I wish I knew where Reyna was." She said to no one in particular. "I feel really bad about what happened at the meeting. But I don't know how to apologize to her.

Once she said that, Piper could practically _feel_ Reyna become more hopeful.

Reyna pulled off the invisibility cap and Piper jumped in mock surprise.

"Let's count that as an apology." Reyna said. And smiled. _Smiled_?

"So you're not mad at me about Jason?... Or Octavian?"

"No, though I have to admit that that thing with Octavian was hilarious."

"Really? You thought so? I thought that you were mad at me."

"I was, but Annabeth talked me out of it. She really has a way with words."

"I wouldn't know."

"Why not?"

"The whole time I was at Camp Half Blood she was either crying, threatening or building the Argo II"

"She must really love Percy."

"Yeah, about that. I'm sorry about you and Jason."

"It's okay. We weren't really together. I just kind of thought that he'd remember me." Reyna's face fell at that comment.

"Hey, if Jason ever finds out we talked, then it'll make it even harder for him to choose. So," Piper could feel her mouth turn into a devilish grin, "how about we pretend that we're really mad at each other like _really_ mad. You could have a fight with Jason and I could pretend that I don't want to talk to him until he chooses."

"I don't know why, but I actually like that idea."

"You didn't even look for me?" Jason yelled. His anger was causing a surge of electricity to run up and down his spine with every word.

"Did you expect me to?" Reyna's eyes were cold as she tried to keep from screaming.

"Annabeth did!"

"Well they were dating!"

"Still, she gave up leading her camp and went all over the country every day to try to find him!"

This seemed to sting Reyna's pride. Jason hadn't said the words that were causing the pain, but it was in between his words. He was telling her; "If you really loved me, you would've looked for me."

Reyna spun around knocking the bowl of jellybeans off of the table. Argum and Argmentum were looking back and forth between their two masters as if not knowing which side to take.

"Listen Jason Grace," Jason tensed, Reyna _never_ used his last name with him, "you can date that pathetic little Venus girl all you want, but you will not tell me how to run _my_ camp!"

"Piper's not pathetic, and it's Percy's camp as much as yours!" Jason, for the first time, found himself feeling lucky not to be praetor anymore. He had forgotten what it was like to be on Reyna's bad side.

"That brings me to another pint," Reyna's tone went back to her business voice, "Percy has offered to give you your position as praetor back, _I_ am not approving, but alas, I only share _half_ of the power, and you don't want Octavian to share that other half do you? Or has your memory been gone for so long that you think that would be good?"

Jason was so angry that he wanted to hurt Reyna. Well at least his ADHD part of him did. The Roman part of him wanted the power he'd been given as praetor, but the Greek part of him just wanted to be back at Camp Half Blood, playing basketball with the Apollo cabin. Where he didn't have to deal with Reyna.

"My memory is fine, thank you very much, but _why_ would I want to work with you when you're treating me like this?"

"You, you _graecus_!" Reyna stormed out of the room, a fit of fury and anger.

"You know that's not an insult anymore right?" Jason called after her, but Reyna was gone.

Piper was waiting for Reyna outside. She had played her part well. But Piper's mind kept wandering back to what her mom had last told her

"Because Jason's not going to tell you outright that he didn't choose Reyna. You are going to have to tell him that you choose him."

"But that doesn't make any sense," Piper countered, "Why am I the one who has to choose? And I'm not choosing in between him and anything!"

"It means that, (this is the way it always works) the guy chooses the girl before the girl chooses the guy, but he spends all of his time that the girl chooses him, in denial because if he tells the girl then she actually will reject him. And then it's a tragic love story again!"

"That makes even less sense."

"How about I use Percy and Annabeth as an example again. So Percy chose Annabeth from the moment that she said 'you drool in your sleep'. She was still debating between him and Luke then. Percy lived in constant denial until Annabeth kissed him on the cheek in the labyrinth. Then Percy's emotions were all mixed up, courtesy of me, and so he was even more confused when Rachel joined their quest. Then when they were fighting on Olympus, Annabeth made her decision. So she made the choice because she kissed him, even though she had already made the choice long before then."

"You're just confusing me now. But I'll ask Annabeth to explain it to me."

"Goodbye Piper."

"Goodbye mom."

And then just like that, Aphrodite disappeared, leaving Piper even more confused than ever before. Piper walked back down to the Argo II where she would ask Annabeth about it.

Annabeth practically floated back down to the Argo II. She was surprised to find Piper in front of the door to her cabin.

"I want to ask you something." Piper said

"Let's go in and then ask away." Annabeth said.

They walked into Annabeth's cabin as Annabeth started brushing her long blonde hair. "I was wondering if you could tell me when you started having feelings for Percy and when you accepted those feelings."

"That's a weird question but I'll give you the answer anyway. I guess it happened when I carried him, yes carried, to the big house and fed him ambrosia. It was one of those times where you're praying that they'll wake up but also praying that they won't so that they won't see that you were praying that they would. And then I wanted to make some comment that would stick with him, so I told him that he drooled in his sleep just so he would start feeling self conscious around me. I didn't really accept those feelings until I knew we could die in the labyrinth and I didn't want to die without him knowing how I felt about him so I kissed him before Mount St. Helens blew up. But then Rachel came along and I got all jealous because she was interesting and unique and I guess she just seemed like she gave Percy more of a mortal life. But then when she told him that he wasn't the reason that she could see through the mist, I realized that she was practically giving him to me and so I took the plunge. Literally, one of our first kisses was underwater. So I guess that we both knew somewhere inside of us that we'd end up with each other but just didn't actually accept it until we were. Why did you want to know this?"

"I had a talk with my mom," Annabeth nodded, "and she keeps using you guys as an example of how Jason and I will be but she keeps using terms that I don't understand."

"Wait…. you need help with Jason don't you? Well I'm no daughter of Aphrodite, but I know that he likes you. You saved his life through charmspeak that's really impressive"


	5. Picnics, Problems and Achilles

**Joybella** It does say in the Son of Neptune that the closest they ever got to looking for him was Octavian. They just assumed he was dead. There is a difference between the Greeks and Romans and I wrote that because in the Lost Hero Jason was mad that Thalia didn't look for him because she assumed he was dead, but imagine how mad he would be if his whole camp didn't look for him any farther then Octavian. Secondly _I _know that the doors of death were what caused Jason to come back, but _Annabeth _and _Piper_ don't know that. So if they don't know that then there's no reason that they should say anything different. I appreciate your constructive criticism, but I suggest you read the Lost Hero and the Son of Neptune again if you want to get at what I'm saying. Oh and I also wrote that scene with Reyna and Jason because I didn't think it would be all happy reunion (also why I wrote the percabeth reunion scene being interrupted by Gaea) and confetti, I thought that there are way too many fanfictions out there that are too mushy and don't focus on the _human_ side of the characters emotions instead of the angelic side of them.

**Cupcakecrazy1** Thank you for your positivity, it's nice to know that I have fans out there who actually read each chapter. The best feeling I can get is reading your reviews. So thank you again

**Every One Else Who Reviewed** Just because I responded to these two reviews doesn't' mean I didn't read and get yours. Every review touches my heart and I'm so glad that you all enjoy my writing.

-readingqueen811

Percy

"You sure you remember everything?" Annabeth asked as they sat in the grass watching the huge trireme called the Argo II being loaded with stuff to prepare Hazel and Frank's rooms.** (A/N: I just learned that triremes have a huge ram in the front, and since the Argo II is a trireme, every time that I picture the Argo II, I now see Festus' head ramming into other ships.)**

"Yes." Percy replied. He and Annabeth were sitting on a red and white checkerboard blanket in the Field of Mars, it wasn't exactly a normal date, but then again none of their dates ever had been. Annabeth tossed a blue chocolate chip cookie at him. She was wearing a chiton (an Ancient Greek dress for women) over her camp clothes to make him feel better that he was wearing a toga. Her blond hair was braided to the side, and she insisted that the Venus girls here might've been worse than Silena was because once they found out that she was going to see Percy, the plainest hairstyle they would let her get away with was the braid.

"How does the Argo II even have blue chocolate chip cookies?" Percy asked as he examined the cookie and then took a bite. "Correction, how does the Argo II even have _my mom's_ blue chocolate chip cookies?"

"Well," Annabeth started, "when Leo and I were deciding what type of food to have on the ship, he asked me why nectar and ambrosia tasted different to every person. I replied that that was because it tasted to a demigod like the best tasting thing in their mortal world to keep them from burning up as they would if they tasted its true taste. Then Leo asked me if we could load vending machines on the Argo II with ambrosia squares, I refused…"

"Is this going anywhere?" Percy asked.

"Yes," Annabeth sighed, "now let me finish. _Anyway_, I refused. So _then_ Leo asked me if we could ask everyone who was going what ambrosia and nectar tasted like to them and then we could put those things in the vending machines. I agreed. First, he asked me what yours was since I was probably the only person in camp who could tell him that. I told him it tasted like your mom's blue chocolate chip cookies. _So_ before the Argo II left, I went to go see your mom and ask her if she could make some so we could give some to you."

**(A/N: My Language Arts teacher would be so proud of me for how many transitions I put in that paragraph :P) **

"Wow. That's a lot of talking." Percy replied. Annabeth laughed and tossed him another cookie. Then they saw Jason and Piper walk by.

"I can't believe that you wouldn't tell a girl who you knew wanted to be your girlfriend that you might have another girlfriend back at Camp Jupiter just so you wouldn't 'hurt her' even though they were just bound to meet and find out the truth anyway!" Piper yelled at Jason who seemed to be putting his hands up in defense.

"Wow, that's two today." Annabeth started, "I heard Reyna yelling at him earlier. Well, although I feel bad for all of them, it is kind of entertaining to watch. Let's see more." Percy smirked at that comment, but they both stayed quiet so they could continue seeing the fight.

"First of all," Jason retorted, "Reyna's not my girlfriend!"

"Oh really?" Piper asked sarcastically, "then what happened in that little 'meeting' you two had earlier?"

"It was just a meeting, that's all!"

"A meeting in what way?"

"Ugh!"

"Look Jason, Reyna and I talked, and we both love you enough to let you be with another girl if it means you're happy. But you're confusing us! The choice will be easier if you just leave me alone and don't talk to me until you get your feelings sorted out. Because right now you're not making this easy for yourself, Reyna, me, or anybody else!" With that, Piper stomped away back towards the Argo II with Jason trailing after her yelling things like; "She called me a graecus!" and "What do you mean you talked with Reyna?"

"Well," Annabeth started "That was entertaining."

"No kidding," Percy replied, "I'm starting to be even more grateful that I remembered you from the beginning because I'm not in that mess like Jason."

"Oh, about that, I forgot to tell you something…" Annabeth smacked her hand to her head. Percy gasped in mock surprise.

"Annabeth forgot something? Next thing you know Thalia will be dating someone! The world is ending!"

"Stop that!" Annabeth laughed, "Anyway, I figured out _why_ you remembered me. Remember how last summer you told me that when you dipped in the River Styx, you focused on me?"

"I told you that?" Percy asked blushing.

"I believe your exact words were; _When I was at the River Styx, turning invulnerable…Nico said I had to concentrate on one thing that kept me anchored to the world, that made me want to stay mortal._"

"Okay, so maybe I did."

"Well now that you admit it, I know that my theory is right."

"What theory?"

"The theory that since you focused on me while in the River Styx, it was impossible for Hera to take the memory of the exact thing you focused on while you still had the Achilles Curse. Speaking of that, how did you lose it?"

"It was the River Tiber. It washed away the Greek blessing since it was a Roman river."

"Ugh! I should've seen that loophole! Can I feel where it was?" Percy saw Annabeth secretly smiling under her serious face. He didn't know what was happening. Annabeth touched his used-to-be-Achilles-spot, and he felt an iron-hot sensation come over him. Then it was gone.

"What just happened…..?" Percy started to say, but he was cut off by the sound of feet rushing, Annabeth screaming "No!" and the pain that never came as Octavian's knife hit Percy in the shoulder.

When Percy looked around, he saw Annabeth smirking as she glanced at Octavian rolling on the ground clutching his dislocated arm. Reyna, who had heard Annabeth's scream, ran over.

"What happened?" She asked, looking at Octavian, and then at Annabeth, who was now rolling on the ground laughing. Then Reyna looked at Percy, "Did he try to kill you?"

"Not kill," Annabeth managed through her giggles, "maim."

"Well Percy," Reyna replied, "since you're the only one who's _not_ rolling on the ground, can you tell me what happened.

"I'm honestly not quite sure Reyna. One minute I was talking with Annabeth, and the next minute, I'm sitting here unharmed while Octavian has a dislocated arm."

"I think I can explain Reyna." Annabeth said, suddenly regaining her composure. "But I think first you should take Octavian to a medic. I think I can see his bone."

Reyna called to a passing faun, who carried Octavian in the direction of the infirmary. Percy told the girls that he was going to go talk to Jason, and Reyna scowled at his name but let Percy go. As Percy walked away, he heard Annabeth say to Reyna, "Have you ever heard of Achilles?" and he knew exactly what had happened.

Leo

Leo was wandering around the Argo II looking for Thalia; he was so convinced that if he found her, he might actually be able to get a date with her. Sure, there were many hot girls in Camp Jupiter, he just wanted to make sure that he talked to Thalia before anybody else. Instead, Leo found himself in front of two rooms that were empty, but were now loaded with stuff for the two Roman demigods. What were their names again? Leo couldn't remember. He walked into the first room, which had two diamonds on the door. Leo found that the two Roman demigods were in there.

"Hello my name is Leo Valdez, supreme commander of the Argo II, which was built, designed and commanded by me, with a little help from Annabeth. Who are you, and how can I help you?"

"Did you say _Valdez_?" The girl one asked. She had chocolate brown skin with curly black hair that went down to her back.

"Um, yeah." Leo replied. He wasn't that good with organic life forms. "Have you heard of me?" Maybe she was one of his used-to-be foster sisters. Or maybe her mom was trying to track him down for running away so many times, or maybe…

"Hello?" The guy asked. He was a baby-faced Chinese guy with a bow and arrow strung over his back. "Earth to Valdez. You just kind of spaced out on us."

"Sorry, I'm a sun of Hephaestus, Vulcan to you. Not so good with organic life forms."

"Valdez?" The girl asked again. "As in _Sammy_ Valdez?"

"Yeah, he was my grandpa on my mom's side. But you know, Zeus is my grandpa on my dad's side."

"Are you trying to joke with us?" The Chinese guy asked.

"Kind of. But he really is my grandpa. Died when I was about five. Why do you ask?"

"So you're… and he….so then…but how…..oh." The girl said all of that and then fainted into the Chinese guy's arms.

"Is that normal?" Leo asked him.

"No." The Chinese guy replied. "By the way, I'm Frank, son of Mars. I know it doesn't look that way. And she's Hazel."

Leo looked at Hazel who was starting to wake up. "Why is she so interested in my grandfather?"

"You'll have to ask Percy. I would tell you, but Hazel told me that I should send all people asking about that to Percy. And anyway, I've got to take her to the infirmary." Frank said before walking away.

"Guess I'm off to find the famous Percy Jackson." Leo mumbled to himself as he too left the room.

Jason

Jason stormed into his cabin in the Argo II that he was now going to share with Percy Jackson. _How come Percy got to remember the girl?_ Jason asked himself. _Why not me?_ Then he heard a knock at the door, and Percy Jackson's voice.

"Can I come in?" Jason didn't see a problem with it so he replied, "Sure."

Percy Jackson came into the room and looked at his bed with the blue comforters and sea green pillows. "Annabeth design this room?" He asked.

"Yep." Jason replied.

"You know that Annabeth and I heard Piper and you fighting right?"

"You did?" Jason asked with boredom, he didn't care that they heard, he just cared that neither Reyna nor Piper was talking to him anymore.

"Yeah, listen, I was in the same position as you last summer."

"Really?"  
>"Yeah, have you met our oracle?"<p>

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"She wasn't always our oracle. She used to be an artsy girl who cared about the environment with a rich daddy and could see through the Mist. And I kind of liked her. So naturally, she fought with Annabeth all of the time."

"She fought with Annabeth? But now they're like best friends!"

"I know. It started when Rachel became oracle, but by then I think I'd already realized I wanted Annabeth."

"How did you choose?"

"I guess it was when the gods were offering my immortality and…"

"They offered you immortality? Why didn't Annabeth mention it?"

"I don't like to talk about it. Anyway, three winters back, Annabeth had been asked to join the Hunters of Artemis, where your sister is now, and I was terrified that she would say yes. I looked in Annabeth's eyes when they were offering me immortality and I saw the same fear in her eyes that I had seen in mine, so I turned down immortality for her."

"You turned down immortality?" Jason couldn't even imagine doing that. A chance to become a god, and Percy just threw it away for a girl. What kind of Roman would do that? _Then again,_ Jason reminded himself _Percy's a Greek_.

"But how am I supposed to choose?"

"Well, not the same way I did. It took me four years to decide that I wanted Annabeth. Just think about it like this; if the world ended today, and you got one chance to tell Reyna or Piper how you felt about them, who would you choose to tell?"

"I can't decide." Jason was confused. If the world ended today, he would try to save them, not confess to them. But then again, he was different from Percy.

"I didn't think you'd be able to at first. But don't worry, you'll see soon."

Then Leo burst into the room.

"Hey Jason, hey Percy. Listen, I just ran into Frank and Hazel, and Hazel said something about Sammy Valdez, my grandfather. So what does Hazel have to do with my grandfather?"

"Oh," Percy started, "sit down Leo. You have a lot to learn. So, Hazel was born in the 1940s…"

"How old is she? She looked like she was sixteen!"

"Calm down Leo, her brother Nico, who by the way lied and said he didn't know me, brought her back from the dead when the Doors of Death opened…."

"The doors of what?"

"Death Leo, death!" Understanding dawned on Jason as he heard Percy say Doors of Death. Of course! That was how he was still alive even though he saw Juno in full form. He exited through the open Doors of Death.

"Anyway," Percy continued, "she died when she kept Gaea from rising earlier by sacrificing herself to save her mother, she was dating a guy named Sammy Valdez before she moved from New Orleans to Alaska, where Gaea took control of her mother. Does that sum it up?"

"That sixteen year old girl was dating my grandfather?"

"Yes Leo. Yes she was."

Jason was confused. How come Hazel had never told him that she'd come back from the dead? Then again, you miss a lot when you've been gone from a camp for eight months.

"So," Leo asked, "seen Thalia?"

"Seriously Leo?" Jason asked, "You still haven't given up on my sister?"

"You're in love with a Hunter of Artemis?" Percy looked skeptical.

"It's fine, she's totally in love with me." Leo replied.

"She's sworn off guys forever! I was there when it happened!"

"Relax, I can tell she's into me." And with that Leo walked out of the cabin, smoothing back his hair and popping a breath mint from his tool belt in his mouth. As soon as he'd left the cabin, Percy and Jason burst out laughing, Leo was not going to win Thalia that way.


	6. A Dream, A Rachne, and A Reunion

**Yes, yes, Percy now has his Achilles Curse back; I just really don't like Jason that much and wanted to make him even more jealous of our favorite hero. I actually am going to continue this story after the real one comes out, I've been inspired by a Son of Neptune fanfiction that is still being written and posted today that I was obsessed with for like a week. Tons of Thaleo and Frazel in this chapter and a little bit of Percabeth and Jasper. I'm not going to do any more responses to reviews because I now have Private Messaging Enabled and can get back to you on your questions. I do not own anything except for the plot, and what the characters say, and the fact that I wrote this. Other than that, I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians; the almighty Rick Riordan does.**

**!**

The flight was strangely uneventful. Unless, that is, you count **Leo** getting electrocuted eventful. Basically, what had happened was that he'd been hitting on Thalia. You know, the usual; "So when exactly does this eternal oath expire?" and "Have you talked to Hermes recently? Because you've stolen my heart." He guessed she'd gotten a little fed up with him, because she'd grasped his hand, found a pressure point, and zapped him. Now, Leo may have been immune to fire, but that did not stop him from becoming fried. As Leo walked back onto the deck where the rest of the seven were sitting, he couldn't help but feel ashamed.

"Hey…" Percy said as Leo approached, "Thalia finally decide to electrocute you?"

"How did you know?" Leo responded.

"Dude!" Jason exclaimed. 'Your hair's sticking on end, you keep twitching as if you're having a seizure, and to top it off, you have this dejected expression on your face as if you just found out that this whole 'gods are real' thing was a practical joke!" At this, all three of the girls started laughing. Hazel seemed a little more comfortable around him since he now looked less like Sammy, and more like a piece of burnt timber.

"Hey Leo." Hazel teased. "Going at this rate, how long do you think it will take you to get Thalia?"

"Well…" Annabeth started. "If you multiply ∞, which is how long Thalia's hunter oath lasts by the number of times she's turned him down, you get…. Wow! That's a long number. Leo… the odds are ∞ to one."

"Aww, come on!" Leo whined. "The one girl I actually like who doesn't try to kill me is the one that will be the hardest to get!"

"Leo," Annabeth continued, "Her exact words were _I turn my back on the company of men_. How can you not get the part about eternal maiden?

The truth was, that Leo got that, but he'd had a strange dream the night before; He'd been wearing a Roman toga and sleeping on a hillside with sheep around him. The funny thing, was that he was watching himself sleep. Then, the moon that was cascading overhead had stopped, and landed on the hillside. Thalia had gotten out, and kissed him before going back into the moon, which once again rose. He wasn't sure what the dream had meant, but there was no way he was asking any of the guys. Maybe Annabeth or Piper would know. As Leo was about to walk back to the steering wheel, the boat started falling.

"Stupid… stupid… stupid…" Leo said to himself while smacking his head with his palm. He'd forgotten to ask some of the Trivia (Roman version of Hectate) kids at Camp Jupiter to refuel the ship with their magic. "Jason!" He yelled. "See if you can keep this thing in the air. Everyone else, grab the oars, turns out we might need to use them after all!"

The rest of the seven and all the campers on board obliged, and soon they were only falling at an 80 degree angle, but it still wasn't enough.

"What did I tell you?" Annabeth screamed over the wind that was messing her braided hair up. "The oars will only work if we're in water! They're oars! The most they can do is mix the air up! We're still going to crash at this rate. Oh good. A lake. Percy, Jason, think you can land this?"

"Yep." They unanimously replied.

Soon, the boat was docked, or should I say wrecked, on the shore of the lake. They needed to get some magic or regular car fuel if they wanted to get back in the air, drop the Greek campers off at Camp Half Blood, and head to Rome. The Hephaestus and Athena cabin members were working hard to fix it, but it looked like it was going to take a while. Leo wanted to stay and help, but Annabeth pulled him and the rest of the seven away before they could do anything.

**Frank** thought everything was going to be fine. That is until he realized they had landed in a place that was not the Greek camp. He had absolutely no idea where they were, that is, until he saw a sign that said; Lake Nixon, Pine Bluff Arkansas. "Just great," he thought to himself, "we're not even there yet, and we're already stranded. Not to mention the fact that we have seven powerful half-bloods and are probably attracting tons of monsters right now." He felt so timid, he would've turned into a mouse if it wasn't for the grip of Hazel's hand in his keeping him calm.

He saw Annabeth checking her cell phone, apparently on Google Maps. "Hey," Percy nudged her playfully, "you're not supposed to have that, don't you realize how many monsters that's probably attracting?" Great, another reason for Frank to want to turn into a mouse.

"Seaweed Brain," Annabeth replied speaking to Percy as if he was a two year old. "We have seven powerful half-bloods, monsters can probably smell us anyway, I'm just alerting them to something they already know. Anyway, we're heading north on Cooper Orbit Road right now, it will take too long to get to the town on foot. Anyone have any ideas?"

Frank was about to suggest that he turn into an elephant and everyone ride on his back when Hazel whistled and called, "Arion!" The demonic, cussing, beautiful stallion who was apparently a relative of both Frank and Percy came rushing out of the forest like a speeding, cussing, bullet.

"I can take Piper and Leo on Arion, Percy and Annabeth can ride on Blackjack, and Jason can ride Frank as a horse. Are you good with that guys?" Frank noticed that everyone except for Annabeth and Percy seemed nervous about that idea, especially Jason who had barely met Frank. "Okay then," Hazel continued, "I'll take Piper and Jason on Arion, and Leo can ride on Frank as a horse."

"Hold up!" Leo exclaimed, "You can turn into a horse? That is so crazy! Did you know I can shoot fire out of my hands?" Frank winced and looked at Hazel painfully in a way that clearly stated; you just had to stick me with the fire guy didn't you. She shot back a look that said; I have your stick, everything will be alright. He can't burn it if he's riding you. Frank sighed, and silently obliged by turning into a chestnut stallion which shocked Jason, Piper and Annabeth, but which made Leo grin even more and hop on his back in a way which really hurt.

"Of course," Leo started rambling, "I've never ridden bareback before, in fact, I've never ridden at all, but how hard can it be, I mean you'll know what to do won't you? Because if you don't, then we're both dead." Despite his annoyance with Leo, Frank had to admit he was right. They were probably both dead, and he would've dwelled on it, except for the fact that Iris had told him he was going to die with his stick on fire in his hands, not while Leo was riding him.

Blackjack whinnied at Arion, and the two horses took off; Annabeth and Percy racing across the sky, while Piper, Jason and Hazel were speeding along the ground. Frank thought about how cool it would be to fly, and suddenly realized he'd sprouted wings.

"Cool!" Leo shouted, "Now let's fly, whoohoo!" The flight was better than walking, but Leo's constant chatter got annoying after a while. When they finally landed on the corner of a road called Vista Drive and Echo Point** (A/N: You know, Echo, from the Greek Myths. I thought it was a good idea. BTW this lake and these streets really are in Pine Bluff Arkansas)** where the rest of the seven were, Frank was glad that that was never going to happen again, except for on the way back.

"Hazel gave him a hug as he turned back, and Arion quickly trotted off to make friends with Blackjack while Percy was trying to keep them apart, obviously he didn't want Blackjack to learn any new cuss words from Arion.

Annabeth seemed to shiver nervously as she and Percy stepped in front of Hazel and Frank and started making their way down Echo Point. Frank had to agree with her body language, something about this street just didn't seem right. They saw a gas station at the end of Echo point, and were thinking about how they were going to explain to whatever poor mortal who worked there about exactly why they needed all the gas that gas station had, when a crafting shop caught their eye. It wasn't especially a nice shop, nothing like Michael's or Joann's or any other store Frank had seen, but there were some pretty things in there, like shiny mirror-like fabric. It really was beautiful. Apparently, Frank wasn't the only one who thought so, because all of the seven turned their heads and marched inside.

There was only a teenager with auburn hair inside the shop, she was weaving the beautiful fabric. Annabeth and Percy exchanged looks, and Annabeth stabbed her in the back with a dagger; probably checking if she was a monster, but it just went right through, and the teenager with the auburn hair just kept on weaving. Frank noticed she was wearing almost perfectly white jeans that did not match the creative store, and a dark, spider-web-pattern-like shirt that made her seem mysterious and untrustworthy.

"Hey y'all," she said as she stood up. "I'm Ara. What do you guys wanna buy? I'm kinda new at all this stuff, so I don't get that many customers…."

"The fabric." Piper blurted out. "We want to check out the fabric." Frank thought that was strange, because Piper didn't seem like the type of girl who would be interested in fabric, but he found that everyone, including him, was nodding as she said this. The fabric was the most beautiful piece of work he'd ever seen.

Frank saw Annabeth glare at Ara and the fabric before nodding her head as Ara glared back. The two girls seemed to hate each other, but they didn't even know each other. Each of the seven went to different hangings of the fabric. They glimmered like mirrors and you could see your reflection in them. Frank looked at it and immediately felt woozy, he fell on the floor and Hazel ran over to help him. While she got him seated in a chair, he was looking at Piper, whose reflection seemed to be talking to her.

The reflection was Piper, but a more beautified version of her, in a short, low-cut pink strapless gown and makeup, and rings of curls that adorned her face. She looked intimidating, not normally beautiful like Hazel did right now.

"Oh, come on!" The reflection Piper was saying, "you know that inside you're just as freeze-dried as the rest of the losers in your cabin. Why not embrace it? You could end up like me. And BTW, you're just another Drew to them. Not a Silena, you'll never be a Silena. Reyna's only using you to make herself look better in front of Jason. You'll never amount to anything if you keep it up like this. You could be a gorgeous supermodel with Jason as your boyfriend and forget all about this stupid quest. Join Gaea, she'll make you feel beautiful, you won't be nearly as ugly as you are now. Your beauty will draw Jason to your side and you can watch as Reyna's killed by the giants, that's what the freeze dried romance part of you wants anyway. Follow the steps of your siblings, you could become the greatest charmspeaker ever to grace the earth."

Piper looked intrigued, then dreamy, then appalled. She retorted, "I wouldn't join Gaea to save my life! I do NOT need to look like you. My magic is powerful enough. You hear that! My magic is!" At this, Frank heard himself, along with everyone else in the store except for Ara say in a monotonous voice; " Your magic is powerful enough." Piper blushed, probably realizing she'd gotten so angry she'd charmspeaked, but she kept her cool.

"Fine," the reflection Piper smiled, "be that way, you'll come around sooner or later, your insecurities and your love of love and beauty will draw you to us. Why not join now. Get rid of those precious insecurities. Gaea could make you live forever… forever… forever…forever." And with that, Piper's reflection faded back into the fabric as she walked to Ara and said, "I'm sorry, but I'm no longer interested in the fabric. I can get my friend Annabeth to make something for me if I want something like that. This just isn't what I'm looking for." Ara glared and then put on a forced smile, "well, just you not buying one won't keep the rest of your little friends from buying one." Was it Frank's imagination, or had Ara's accent gone away?

He turned to look at Percy, and had barely blinked before he saw Percy saying to his fabric; "No thanks, I don't want power, and I've already got a girlfriend." He turned away from the fabric, and walked up to Frank. "You okay man? This place is really creeping me out."

" Yeah I'm fine…" Frank replied, but he was distracted by the heated debate Annabeth was having with her reflection who was dressed up in a white blouse and black slacks as if she was the head of some company.

"Pluto is not a planet!" The reflection was saying.

"The world declared it a planet and then got rid of its title! I am going to side with Percival Lowell and all the others who had worked hard to discover it and make it a planet. I'm sorry, but a job as the head of an office building, really? The _sirens_ showed me a better deal. You're not even as smart as me! You're just cocky! But then again, beauty is only skin deep, and since you're a reflection of me you don't have a brain, do you?" Frank turned away before he could hear Annabeth talk more about the properties of matter or something.

Jason, seemed to actually be wanting what his reflection was giving him, which Frank saw as a warning. He couldn't hear what Jason was saying because he was on the other side of the store, but Frank knew that this was a trance and he had to shake Jason out of. He quickly ignored the hanging fabrics and flew to Jason as a sparrow. When he landed, he transformed back, turned Jason away from his reflection, and hit him on the head. At first, Jason was mad, but then relieved.

"Thanks," he said, "It almost had me convinced." By this time, Leo had also refused his fabric's offer, and was heading back to tell Ara when Annabeth cut in front of him.

"Ara, so, can you tell me, did _you_ weave those tapestries?" Ara blushed. "Umm maybe… Of course I did you ignorant daughter of Athena! Can't you see my obviously superior talent in them? I've gotten better, and I'll be the goddess of weaving from here on out. You hear me?"

"Yes," Annabeth replied, though Frank noticed she made it clear that she knew who Ara was and why the tapestries were talking to them. She just needed Ara to admit it.

"So… I'm guessing Ara's just a nickname. What's your _real_ name?"

"Well, well, well, it seems that the children of wisdom just keep getting dumber, of course, they get that from their mother. You should know this by now, shouldn't you? But, I guess I'll have to tell you since you _obviously_ don't know a _thing_ about Greek Mythology. I'm Arachne dear child, the original Arachnid."

At this, all activity from the seven froze except for Annabeth, who was obviously still playing the "dumb blonde card," it was very clear she was ready to kill Arachne, who had the same look of hatred on her face.

"Who's that?" Annabeth asked, "and what's an Arachnid?"

"Ugh!" Arachne looked like she was about to pull out all her hair, "My mistress _told_ _me_ that they were still telling this story. Do you hear that Gaea? She doesn't even _know_ my story! Well, let's just say I wasn't the prettiest girl, or the smartest girl, but even so, I could weave incredibly. My pictures seemed to dance, my colors seemed to light up the air. All my insecurity just disappeared when I wove. Of course, then your _oh so mighty and high mother_ just had to swoop down and say that me saying I was better than her was so totally an insult and that I had to pay for my crime by losing to her in a weaving completion. I won she lost, she was so jealous that she turned me into a spider. You happy now?"

"That is not true!" Piper said standing up, "You lost because you disrespected Zeus, his wives, and his children in your tapestry! Athena was just making sure you knew your place!"

"Oh but my dear freeze-dried girl, I did know my place, I knew I was better than the gods; all of them! Gaea recognized that. That's why she made me human again in exchange for her service. My children have been squashed, killed by pesticides and made fun of for too long! They deserve a better life than scaring children of Athena! That is why Gaea had promised humanity for every one of you they capture, so long pesky demigods!" With this, Arachne pulled a thread on her tapestry, and spiders fell from the celing. Frank was shocked, and on top of that, it was hard to think with Annabeth freaking out and screaming bloody murder. Frank knew that he could make the spiders stop. But then his reflection caught his eye.

"You don't really think you can stop Arachne's attack do you?" A stronger, less baby faced, knightly version of Frank was sitting on top of a horse, speaking to him. "Why, you could barely stop from fainting at the first sight of me. I bet you can't even get anywhere. It's a wonder why Gaea wants you dead. I won't even try to persuade you to kill yourself, it'll end up happening anyway." A week ago, this would've sent Frank screaming like Annabeth. But now, he just looked at his reflection and said; "Goodbye." Frank pulled a loose thread on the tapestry as it fell to pieces. "Beautiful things are always the easiest to break." His grandmother had once said, now he knew she was right. So quickly, and quietly, Frank turned into a spider.

_You see that woman who is posing as our mother!_ Frank squeaked to the other spiders in his tiny little spider voice. _She's going to kill us with pesticides as soon as we capture the demigods! I heard her say it to them just now! Let's capture her with spider webs instead. _A cheer went up from the spiders, who, Frank noticed, were not too bright. Soon, Arachne was trapped from auburn hair to high heeled foot in sticky spiders' webs, and she didn't seem to be getting out anytime soon.

As he turned back to a human, Hazel ran up to him. "That was genius!" She said, "She isn't dead, so Gaea can't bring her back to life, and the spiders will just keep entangling her in their webs until she can't move any more than an Egyptian mummy!" Frank laughed and then looked at the rest of the seven who were crowding around Annabeth.

"During the spider attack she passed out." Jason explained to them. "She's still alive, but we'd better get gas and get back to the Argo II before she wakes up again."

They all walked out the door; Percy carrying Annabeth in his arms, and took all the gas that was in the gas station since it seemed to be abandoned. As soon as their arms were full, the gas station disappeared, and in its place was a couple of mailboxes. They looked around, and Arachne's shop and the gas station were gone. Instead, they were in a neighborhood surrounded by trees. Blackjack and Arion came trotting up to them with saddle packs on their waists. When Percy and Hazel looked inside, there were two bags of cash and drachmas, and a note that said;

Arachne should know she is so dead.

And if she comes back to life I'm going to kill her… again

Or maybe turn her into something more pathetic this time

Like a cow, or a peacock; then she'd have to put up with Hera.

Yes, I'm going to do that as soon as she gets out of those webs.

Nice job Frank with that by the way.

-Athena (goddess of wisdom, weaving, and war) Minerva to you

Jason

At this, Frank smiled and turned into a Pegasus again, thinking about how peaceful another ride with Leo would seem after what he'd just been through.

**Annabeth** woke up screaming "Spiders!" It probably was the second most embarrassing thing she'd done all day, first being pretending she was stupid in front of Arachne. At least, it was only Percy who was sitting next to her bed in the Argo II.

"You really freaked out back there." Percy whispered.

"Kind of stupid of me, huh."

"It's okay. Frank dealt with the spiders. He's loving this whole thing now because he can speak to the animals he turns into. He and Blackjack are getting along just fine."

Annabeth took a shaky laugh. "I can't believe we didn't see that one coming; it was like the Sirens and Circe combined."

"Speaking of that," Percy said, "Did Reyna forgive you for Circe's island?"

"Oh," Annabeth replied, "we made our truce _on_ Circe's island."

"Really? What happened?"

"She told me Circe was going to turn you into a guinea pig, and I told her my plan, and she promised she'd forgive _me_ if I destroyed her home, but not _you_ because she'd been taught that all men are pigs; guinea pigs. So I was really surprised that she was the Roman me."

"Oh."

There was a moment of silence which was broken when they heard the cry from above; Leo's voice shouting "We have now reached Camp Half Blood. If you are getting off at this stop, please exit in an orderly fashion. If you would like a tour of camp please talk to our expert at all things camp; Annabeth Chase, and lastly, if you are one of the seven of the prophecy, please be back on the boat in an hour, or stay on the boat. Travis you are so not one of the seven! Yes, you have to get off! NO, you are not allowed to use Bunker 9 as a hideout from Katie when she finds out you've pranked her again! Is this thing still on?"

This made Annabeth and Percy laugh a lot. "So I take from that that you're feeling better." Percy said.

"Yeah, now come on, I have a feeling Hazel and Frank are going to like this place a lot better than Camp Jupiter."

And so, the two walked hand in hand, finally reunited, through the crowd of campers into the hug of Chiron, who scared Hazel and Frank very, very much.


	7. Tours, Thalia, and a Troubling

**I am just beginning to realize how hard it is to write chapters without Reyna in them. I am also realizing that Jason doesn't have a personality even **_**with**_** his memory back. Hmmm. Oh well, enjoy.**

**Smiles,**

**Readingqueen811**

"This is _so fair_." **Hazel** mumbled to herself as they started the tour around the Greek camp. "They get a strawberry field, we get a maintenance tunnel. They get magical borders and a pine tree; we get spiked walls. They get Ping-Pong; we get togas. They get a fleet of triremes; we get a rickety old rowboat that breaks down halfway through the quest."

Although Hazel thought she was quiet, Annabeth heard her and responded with a, "Yes, it does seem unfair, but you have all that _amazing_ architecture, and a _Coliseum_, and a _freaking city_!" Annabeth smiled at the younger girl before continuing the tour. Percy and Jason had stayed back on the Argo II to "remove" the campers and instead stock the rooms with bandages, weapons, nectar, ambrosia, and of course; things to entertain the seven of them. In Hazel's opinion, that was a very bad idea. Percy had power and Jason had pride. According to any of the three girls in the seven, those two would not mix well. Hazel exchanged a worried glance with Piper, which only made her thoughts travel back to Reyna; her goodbye to Hazel had gone something like this:

Hazel:_ I wish you could come with us; you would be an excellent addition to the seven._

Reyna: _I would, but I need to lead the camp. With the possibility of two praetorian candidates not returning, Octavian will be all over getting the job. Besides, I don't think I could _stand_ being with that_ Venus spawn_._

Reyna had said that last part really loudly so that a couple of girls from the third cohort looked over and immediately started gossiping about it. Hazel thought that was suspicious, but she hadn't said anything. Piper didn't seem _that_ bad to Hazel, so what made Reyna hate her so much?

When the tour group arrived back at the ship, they found an epic sight, a duel between Percy and Jason. _Crack!_ Lightening shot over their heads from Jason's outstretched fingers towards Percy who was standing on top of his own little hurricane. _Bam!_ The lightening hit the water and electricity surged through it, it should've electrocuted Percy, but he just laughed and _Splash!_ A wave of electrified water shot at Jason who stood there, drenched, in front of the group.

Let's just say that Annabeth was not too happy with the whole arrangement, or so it seemed, because she took both Percy and Jason by the ears and dragged them off of the ship and to the camp store to get the supplies they were supposed to get earlier. The two of them just laughed, while wincing in the pain, and continued to shoot things at each other.

Yes, they hadn't been fighting, they had been having fun. Their smiles and laughs were the tiny details I forgot to mention earlier, but it doesn't matter, because then Leo (who still looked a lot like Sammy to Hazel) caught himself on fire and started running after the three of them yelling "Flame On!"

There was an awkward silence as Hazel, Frank, and Piper stared at each other. "So… Piper…" Hazel started, "What's your power that made Hera choose you for the seven?"

Piper bit her lip uncomfortably and replied. "Well, um, you got a taste of it at the Senate Meeting today. I can charmspeak."

"What?" Frank asked.

"Well, I can convince people to do things by smiling, or flipping my hair, or talking. I really, really don't like to talk about it."

"That's okay." Hazel replied, wanting to comfort her. "I died in the 1900s and can summon cursed gems that can kill people."

Piper stared at her openmouthed before responding. "Wow." Her eyes seemed to dance in the fading light of the sun. "And I'm guessing Frank has some astonishing life-threatening secret too?"

"Um…" Frank swayed from side to side like a little kid who was trying not to get in trouble with his parents, reminding Hazel of Nico. "." He squeaked out.

"What did you say?" Piper asked tilting her head in confusion.

Hazel shot a sympathetic look at Frank before saying. "His life depends on a burnt piece of wood."

"Oh." Hazel noticed Piper's voice was small as she turned towards the setting sun in embarrassment and confusion. "Annabeth told me about that. It's called Meleager's Curse. It's way back from Ancient Greek times. Well, since we're all sharing deep dark secrets, I guess you guys should know. My dad is Tristan Mclean." Frank gasped, but Hazel cocked her head, she didn't know a ton of famous people from this century yet, give it a couple of years, and she might be able to figure it out.

"Oh…my…gosh!" Frank managed to get out. "Do you know how many girls in my school in Canada were obsessed with your dad… that sounds gross doesn't it?"

"Not as gross as the fact that some of my _siblings_ were obsessed with him." At that, all three of them started to laugh, and were still laughing when Annabeth came back, this time holding Percy, Jason, _and Leo_ by the ears as they carried weapons, nectar, ambrosia, bandages, and movies in their hands. They all kept shooting water, lightening, and fire at each other, so it made a swirl of power around Annabeth, who didn't seem to be feeling any of the heat, shock, or wetness that the boys were.

"You guys are acting like twelve year olds!" Annabeth stormed, as she marched the four of them up the deck of the Argo II. "Come on," Percy whined, "I was so much more immature back then."

"Actually," Piper put in, "In my sixth grade class, guys would poke each other in the back and hurl things at each other when the teacher wasn't looking, you guys _are_ acting like twelve year olds."

"But I _am_ twelve!" Leo protested.

"No you're not!" Hazel said, her voice shaky because he sounded _just like_ Sammy. "You told us on the way here that you were around sixteen."

"You're right." A voice came from behind them and they saw Thalia walking up the deck. "Leo's _not_ twelve, but he sure does act that way."

"What are you doing back here?" Annabeth asked as she hugged her old friend. "I thought you guys would've left by now!"

"You didn't think I'd let my best friends, my baby brother, and my new friends fly off to save the world with Leo without saying goodbye did you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Leo protested as Thalia ruffled Jason's hair.

"I'm not your baby brother!" Jason objected, "I'm older than you!"

"Yes, but technically, I'm eighteen if you don't count my Hunter's oath, and I'm about 23 if you don't count me turning into a pine tree."

"You hear that Leo?" Yet _another_ voice came from behind them as Rachel came up the deck. "You're in love with a girl who is _not only_ an eternal maiden, but who _also_ is seven years older than you."

"Rachel!" Percy exclaimed, and he, along with Annabeth and Thalia, hugged her.

"And you thought I'd let you leave without a prophecy."

"We kind of already have one…" Hazel started, "well, a partial prophecy anyway; Wisdom's daughter walks alone…"

"Yes… yes… the Mark of Athena burns through Rome. But there's more. Now, this is how it goes." Rachel swooned and Leo, who must've thought he was the luckiest guy in the world, caught her. Green smoke started pouring from her mouth and her green eyes opened with a glazed look in them. _Yep,_ Hazel thought to herself. _Now _that's_ a real fortune teller. And Octavian asks us why we call him a fraud._

_Wisdom's daughter walks alone_

_The Mark of Athena burns through Rome_

_The seven will fight at the doors of death_

_And unleash Athena's Mark in a would-be final breath_

_The pathway of fire shall lead the way_

_Forgetfulness shall save the day_

_And while heroes fight to save their lives_

_Gaea awakens and for renewal she strives_

**And with that ominous note, I conclude this chapter of the Mark of Athena, my version. I noticed I didn't get many reviews for the last chapter, and that might be because of the first chapter for the **_**real**_** Mark of Athena being out. Well, it's completely obvious that ours are different, so why don't you keep reading this? My "Mark" is assuredly different from his "Mark", my plot definitely contrasts with his plot, and more importantly, my characters clash in a different way. Review and tell me what you think, because the last chapter has made me wonder; Am I the only one who cares about this story?**

**Smiles,**

**Readingqueen811.**

**P.S. Did you know that XD could also mean a dead Cyclops? I just realized that! Next time someone sends that to you in a text, even if you know what it means, pretend it's that. Now **_**that**_** will be funny!**


	8. Storm Spirits and Strings of Cusses

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Rick Riordan does. I also do not own the wording for the myth Kissed by the Moon as retold by Geraldine McCaughrean.**

**Piper** was starting to get really annoyed with Jason. First of all, he kept trying to talk to her while she was joking around with Hazel, Frank, and Leo; which was exactly what she had told him not to do until he got his feelings straightened out.

"Go away Jason." She grumbled as he plopped down next to her on one of the bean bag couches in the Argo II's lounge. He held up his hands defensively.

"Is there something wrong with a guy trying to hang out with his friends?" He asked in mock shock.

"Oh," she shot back sarcastically, "so you've decided I'm just a friend. Way to make a girl feel special Jason, I think your IQ just leveled around where Percy's is." Piper glanced over at Percy and Annabeth who were arguing because Percy had stolen the book the "Gates of Fire", which had been given to Annabeth by Reyna as a goodbye present, and she was trying to get it back. Jason shrugged at the comparison, although Piper could tell his fists were clenched. She stood up and started walking towards the door, her braids in her choppy hair swinging as she did so.

"I'm sure Reyna will be happy to hear the news Jason." She sneered before walking out of the room and marching to her room. Once there, Piper clicked a little button on the TV in the room. Little did Jason know, Leo had installed a security system complete with security cameras on the ship, and Piper had hotwired it. Piper started stomping around the room so the people in the lounge (Jason, Leo, Hazel, and Frank) would think she was angry. Meanwhile, her eyes stayed put on the TV screen, listening to every word they said.

"I don't get it." Jason was saying. "First Reyna yells at me, then Piper won't talk to me, what am I supposed to do?" Hazel, Frank, and Leo looked a little uncomfortable at being asked that question.

"Look dude," Leo started. "I kind of have the opposite problem, but I'll try my best. It's pretty obvious what they're doing."

Piper crossed her fingers, praying to her mom that Leo hadn't seen right through their operation. "I was hanging around the Aphrodite cabin in the few hours Annabeth wasn't forcing us to work, just checking out some of Piper's siblings…" Piper was glad that she hadn't been eating or drinking something when he said that, because then she would've spit it out, still, she gagged. "And I heard them talking about the Ten Best Ways to Get a Guy, so of course I listened in."

"Okay," Hazel replied, she seemed to have gotten used to Leo a little bit more, "that's the second time you've made me gag and you're not even to the point yet."

"Anyway," Leo continued. "Reyna's obviously using the absence makes the heart grow stronger trick, which could backfire on her and turn into the out of sight out of mind trick. But Piper, her goal is more confusing, it's somewhere in between the straight up telling trick, the girl-next-door trick, and the do nothing at all trick."

Piper started laughing, but quickly disguised it as another pretend rant about how stupid Jason was came from her mouth instead and echoed to the ears of the four she was watching. Leo's mouth dropped open, and the three Romans looked at him like he was nuts.

"I keep forgetting you guys don't know Ancient Greek." He told them. "I can't believe Piper knows that many cuss words!"

Jason snorted, "Probably learned them from Annabeth."

Piper smirked as she thought to herself actually, I learned them from the time Drew saw the pictures the Stolls took of her in the pajamas. Piper let her "choice words" about Jason continue for a while before turning off the TV and sitting on her bed to read "Nobody's Princess", a fictional book about Helen of Troy, her dagger Karoptis' previous owner.

Before long, Piper was lost in the novel. Who knew that Theseus could be such a snobbish jerk? She was interrupted in her thoughts by a knock at the door. Piper quickly slipped the book under her pillow and crossed her arms before replying "Come in."

It was Leo. He was standing in the doorway shaking a screwdriver at her. "Well, well." He started. "In all the six months and Mist-influenced memories that I've known you, I've never seen you get so worked up about a boy."

Piper sighed. "So you're onto us?"

"Us?" Leo questioned. "I thought it was only you."

"Nope, Reyna and Annabeth are involved too."

"I knew there was something fishy about the ice-queen."

"Hey!" Piper responded. "She's really cool when you get to know her."

"Yeah," Leo said dreamily, "cool, like ice."

"Don't tell me you have a crush on her too!"

"Maybe a little one."

"I won't tell Reyna if you don't tell Jason."

"Deal. Anyway, um, I have a question about a Greek Mythy dream I've been having."

"Why ask me instead of Annabeth?"

"Because," he replied, "I think it's from your mom."

Leo went on to describe a dream about a shepherd, and the moon, and a kiss. Piper could see the picture from the Greek Mythology book she'd read in her mind, but didn't know the title.

"Well, in Greek Mythology, there's one about Selene that's like that, but when it's translated into the Roman version of the myth, it becomes the story about Diana and Endymion, commonly referred to as Kissed by the Moon."

"Ooh, ooh!" Leo exclaimed. "I want to read the story about Diane and What's-His-Face!" Piper rolled her eyes, but handed him the Roman Mythology book Annabeth had given her.

"Page 22," She replied, "read away."

And so, Leo started to read aloud;

_The charoit of the Moon goddess Diana is old now, tarnished by night rains, dented by collisions with owls and flitterbats. See how its silver-white sides are mottled with imperfections. Once, long ago, when her chariot was still gleaming new, Diana used to drive across the night sky with barely a thought for the sleeping world below._

_ Then one night, happening to glance down at the silvered glory of the Roman countryside, she caught sight of a shepherd sleeping on a Tuscan hilltop. The moonbeams lit his sheep first, whitely luminous, then his woolen tunic, then the shine of his curly hair. His sleeping face was beautiful past any she had seen before._

_ Sleepy astronomers watching late that night rubbed their eyes in disbelief. For the moon, contrary to all the laws of nature, appeared to dip in mid-sky and to rest for a moment on the summit of a Tuscan hill._

_ Down climbed Diana to study more closely the young shepherd's face. She bent over him, holding her hair for fear it would brush her face. The more she stared, the more she admired what she saw-the fringe of lashes, the tilt of the cheekbones, the downy softness of the jaw line never shaved. She looked...and she loved, and because this sleeping mortal would never know she had done it, she bent and kissed his sleeping lips._

_ Somewhere in the musty meadows of sleep, a dream galloped down on Endymion-a glorious, silvery dream that filled him with inexpressible happiness. He dreamed a face too beautiful to belong to any mortal woman. He dreamed of silken hair held back by her fingers, a smell of night-scented flowers, a hand resting on his chest. Roused almost to waking, his eyelids flickered, and he thought the saw a hank of hair fanning out as a woman turned away. By the time he had fully woken, there was no one to be seen-only the moon gliding overhead toward its setting place among the cedar trees._

_ Endymion was filled with emotions so odd that he hardly knew whether to laugh or cry. His dream had been so sweet-he could still almost feel the bruise of a kiss upon his mouth-that he wanted to go back to sleep at once, to recapture that elusive bliss. The next night Endymion curled up in his cloak almost as soon as night fell, praying that he might enjoy the same dream again._

_ And Diana, harnessing the horses to her chariot, fumbled with the buckles, so eager was she to be rising. Would her shepherd be there again tonight, sleeping on his hilltop? Could he really be as exquisitely handsome as she remembered? Trailing diaphanous moonbeams across the Tuscan countryside, Diana leaned over the side of her chariot, scanning the darkened landscape for a glimpse of Endymion. And there he was! Asleep once again on his hilltop, surrounded by lambs. He looked more beautiful than ever._

_ Somewhere in the birch-silver wood of sleep, Endymion dreamed that same wonderful dream-a woman bending to kiss his mouth, white hands ruffling his hair, a voice whispering, "Sleep on, sleep on, Endymion my love."_

_ Endymion no longer cared about the sunlit hours. He spent them longing for nightfall, for the dream that repeated itself each moonlit night, filling him with indescribable bliss. He fretted for fear his dreaming would end; no earthly woman interested him as much as the face that haunted his dreams. _

_ One night, Diana, reining in her chariot, leaped down to steal her nightly kiss. But as she bent low over Endymion's curly head, she noticed a single gray hair in among the gold ones, a deepening of the creases above his brow. Her shepherd was as beautiful as ever, that crease-they were proof that Endymion grew older with every passing day. He would worry about the price of wool, the cost of bread. The wind would weather his skin, and age or illness would bring him pain and weariness. Diana could not bear to think of her beloved suffering any hardships. So the next night, she sewed a hammock of moonbeams and laid Endymion inside it, towing the hammock behind her silver car. She carried him all the way to the western horizon, to Mount Latmos, the land of Forgetfulness. There, in a cave, she laid him on a bed of lamb's wool, whispering the magic that would prevent him from waking-ever._

_ Now he sleeps out of reach of Time of Unhappiness or Work, in a dreamless oblivion. Only as the Moon's goddess drives her chariot over the rim of the world does he begin to dream. He dreams that a woman drives up to his cave, and there she unharnasses her chariot and looses her horses to graze. Then she comes to him and, circling his head with her arms, she tells him all she has seen on her chariot ride-the dying campfires of sleeping armies, the porpoises leaping over the sea, the wolves prowling around sheepfolds, the lullabies sung by mothers to their babies._

_ Then she bends to kiss him, and her face is as lovely as the morning star melting into the light of day._

"Do you know what this means?" Piper asked staring at a disbelieving Leo.

"Blackmail material?" He guessed. Piper rolled her eyes again.

"You know," Leo chided, "Someday your eyes are going to be stuck like that."

"Leo, it means that if you got Thalia to fall in love with you, which is practically impossible, and if she heard the story, and if you blackmailed Artemis with it and were prepared to die and come back to life, then your chances of dating Thalia and not getting blasted would be about 50/50." Piper started shaking Leo's shoulders. "All your dreams could actually come true!"

"You know," he replied, "you're scary when your Aphrodite side comes out."

"I'm sorry," Piper blushed, taking her hands off of his shoulders, "but it really could work. By the way, I hijacked the security cameras, want to watch what they're doing down there?"

"Sure, how'd you do it?"

"Wires are probably the easiest thing in the world to charmspeak."

And so the pair of them watched the three Romans look nervously down the corridor in which Piper's room was located. Annabeth and Percy came into the lounge, obviously wondering why their friends were staring into the hall. "Umm," Percy started, but was cut off by Jason.

"What do you think they're doing in there?"

Arion walked into the room and whinnied. Frank, who could now talk to horses because he'd been a Pegasus, covered his ears. "Dude!" Percy exclaimed. "That's just wrong, that's just…Leo and Piper? What would make you think?... How do you even know those words?"

Back in Piper's room, she and Leo were laughing their heads off; their friends' expressions were enough to make anyone crack up. Jason couldn't have heard what Arion said, but he certainly looked like he'd understood the message.

"I'm going to find out." He said. Piper jumped and laid back on her bed, her arms crossed, while Leo turned off the TV. No matter what their friends thought they were dong, they were not going to be caught spying on them.

**Jason** let out a breath of relief when he opened the door and did not find what Arion had thought he would. Of course, that sigh of relief quickly turned into a breath of terror when he saw Piper playing with Karoptis as she said a string of cuss words in both Ancient Greek and English that he assumed were about him.

"I told you to leave me alone." Piper grumbled. She looked terrifyingly beautiful. She was only wearing jean shorts, her Camp Half Blood t-shirt, and her ski jacket, but since her charmspeaking had improved, these days it was like she radiated beauty.

"I know." Was his casual reply, "it's just you two were taking a while in here, and Arion has a dirty mind, and I just wanted to make sure…" Jason closed his mouth; he was rambling again. It always happened these days when he was around Piper. She looked at Leo, and the two of them burst into laughter.

That made Jason feel kind of silly. He chided himself, his feelings for Piper had gotten in the way of his common sense. Her and Leo? That was kind of silly. Not necessarily, a small voice in the back of his head taunted, if Juno hadn't switched you with Percy, it actually could've been a possibility. Jason closed that out; he'd heard it in his head so many times. Every sentence from it these days started with if Juno hadn't switched you with Percy… it was unfair, no one gave him credit for shutting the voice out, of course, they didn't know about it.

"Jason?" Annabeth's voice called from the lounge. "Umm, two things. Number one, is everything okay? Number two, who in Hades is driving this freaking boat?" That made the three of them rush out of the room, although Jason noticed Piper made sure to close the door on him so that it hit him in the forehead.

Jason called back after opening the door again, "Yeah, everything's fine."

"Not everything," Leo's voice came from above deck. "Dylan and his crew of storm spirits are back."

The seven of the prophecy ran up to the deck where they found Dylan and his army of storm spirits. "Well, I have no idea why Hera chose you seven." Dylan sneered, "You are all so weak that my patron can manipulate you easily. How touching, and Piper, you've grown. Let me guess, daughter of who, Hephaestus? You could get away with that."

Jason clenched his fists, it was one thing for Piper to be ignoring him, it was a completely different thing for Dylan to be insulting Piper while she was ignoring him.

"Actually," Piper said, slowly taking her hair out of its braid going across the top of her head, and closing her eyes so that she started glowing pink. Jason had to admit, it was impressive. "I'm a daughter of Aphrodite. Piper started glowing pink, and twirling her hair with her finger as a huge pink mist hurricane swirled around her. Jason turned away from her; he didn't want to be on _that_ side of Piper's charmspeak.

Percy Jackson was swirling around in the back of the army of storm spirits on his own little hurricane coming up behind some of the other storm spirits with his sword drawn, a big wave pulled the Argo into the water, and then Percy yelled "Mizzenmast!" and the boat started steering itself.

On his own tornado, Jason was attacking the storm spirits left and right, but he could still see Hazel taking advantage of the fact that all the storm spirits had gold gangster jewelry on, and Frank turning into an Elephant as he sucked up the vapor-version storm sprits with his trunk.

"Oh come on!" Leo yelled. "Do you know how long I worked to make this thing work so I could steer it? And you just yell Mizzenmast? That's so unfair!"

"Want to know what's really unfair?" Percy half-asked, half-yelled to Leo from across the army of storm spirits, "Frank can turn into an elephant!"

Jason didn't get those two; they were in a life and death situation, and they were joking around. Then again, they were Greek. No matter how much he liked the Greeks, he'd never understand their laid-back sense of humor.

Soon, the entire army of storm spirits were destroyed, but Jason felt like that was just a distraction… something big was going to hit them soon… he just didn't know what it was.

**# # #**

**How'd you like it? Sorry I haven't updated recently, I was at a camp to improve my writing, and I wanted just to focus on that. Review with your opinion. Oh, and for the hundred some people who read but didn't review the last chapter, your view doesn't count for me if you don't review. Yes, I will be continuing this even after October 2nd, my version is just so different from Rick's that I don't think there will be a problem.**

**Smiles,**

**Readingqueen 811**

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	9. A Sybil, A Song, and Someone's Sister

**I'm Back! Okay, I know it's been a while, but I just got a review last night that made me realize that I did promise to continue after the real Mark of Athena came out. I hope you all are still reading, because I had the end plot all layed out before the book came out so nothing will seem like that book, and because I'm still in love with Son of Neptune fanfictions even though we're now waiting for the House of Hades.**

**Smiles, Readingqueen811**

**Leo** wasn't sure why he felt like laughing. Maybe it was the euphoria of being at the wheel of the Argo II with no one fighting, and the waves splashing across the hull of the boat. The Argo II's satellite feed had just picked up some Italian radio stations, which told Leo that they were starting to get close to Italy. Unfortunately, the speakers also translated, which pretty much sucked because none of the songs rhymed. The one currently playing was called _Ci Sei Tu_ by _Nek_, which, in Leo's opinion, was probably the lamest thing you could ever call a song, not that he understood what it meant. It sounded like a pretty good song until the lyrics;

_I tried not to love you_  
><em>and impossible for me<em>_  
><em>_ask for time to think  
>but because<br>I tried not to look for  
>but I always know where you are<br>and it cost me not to call you  
>and you know it<br>you say that you have to be alone  
>if there is a doubt<br>you want to solve it yourself  
>and did not understand anything about me<em>

It reminded Leo so much of Thalia, but he pushed it from his mind, he just needed to get to Rome, there would be tons of hot girls there who'd be interested in him… and none of them were punk rocker girls with electric blue eyes who were eternal maidens. He would be just fine with that. Right?

"What in Hades is all that noise?" Annabeth asked him as she came up to where Leo was steering. "I am trying to get some sleep before our next monster battle and… oh."

Annabeth stopped when she saw his expression. He must've looked pretty terrible, because she put her hand on his shoulder and asked him what was wrong. Honestly, he didn't' really know the right answer to that. He wasn't good with organic life forms, especially girls; like really scary blonde ones who won't hesitate to stab you if you anger them. He couldn't very well tell her that he really, really, really wanted a girlfriend and felt like the seventh wheel all the time because Jason and Piper were practically dating, Percy and Annabeth were inseperable, and Frank and Hazel were rarely seen without each other. He just wanted a girlfriend. Was that so much to ask?

"Nothing's wrong." Leo started, his words sounding bitter and surprising him because he didn't know where the bitterness had come from. "Absolutely nothing is wrong, no one has died, no one is unhappy. This place is just a ship full of rainbows and ponies and butterflies."

"It's about a girl isn't it?" Annabeth asked. Now where had she come to that conclusion? He didn't have any girl problems that he was aware of. Except for maybe that a couple days ago Jason thought he was doing _something_ with Piper… but that was all resolved now.

Leo found himself spilling all about that conversation he'd had with Piper about Diana and Endymion. He wasn't sure why he was telling _Annabeth _of all people, especially since he'd heard she'd practically been raised by Thalia.

"Leo," She started cautiously, "there are _tons_ of guys at Camp Half-Blood who would love to even get through a full conversation with Thalia. You're not the first guy to feel this way… but that myth about Diana and Endymion is interesting. I'll look into it. Seriously though, maybe you should just go after the first Italian girl you see, I've already given you the odds of you getting together with her, and they're not high, you'd have a better chance with someone who hated you who wasn't immortally chaste."

Then Annabeth walked away, leaving Leo with a numb feeling. Why had he told Annabeth all that? Why did it mean so much to him? And why in Hades were girls so complicated. His head and heart wouldn't give him answers, so he'd had to go to the literal head and heart of this ship; Annabeth and Piper, and they'd given him mixed responses. Was this what it was like for charismatic people like Jason and Percy? _Nah,_ he assured himself, _it's just me, because I'm "no good with organic life forms." Thanks a lot dad!_

Leo pressed a button next to the pirate's wheel and the radio station changed to American pop music, which he was happy for. He'd had a ton of normal songs programmed into the stereo system so he wouldn't get all depressed with the lack of music that he liked. Katy Perry's "Part of Me" started playing, and Leo's euphoria was back. All that emotional stuff had probably just been a brain tumor acting up or something. If he was a machine, he could've just hit his heart-to-mouth connector's off switch to keep himself from feeling stuff like that. Then again, if he was a machine, he wouldn't have to deal with someone like Thalia.

**Frank **woke up to the sound of the Supreme Commander of the Argo II doing a really, really, really, bad cover of One Direction's "Live While we're Young." Frank heard a really hard slap go over the stereo system, and then Piper's calm voice telling everyone that Leo was _supposed_ to be announcing that they'd arrived in a port in Rome.

Frank brushed his teeth and got dressed before heading up to the deck where he saw a fairly big harbor surrounded by flower shops and restaurants. Annabeth was arguing with an old Italian man and his about two-year-old granddaughter about them parking the boat here.

"Tell me again _why_ we cannot park here." Annabeth said, snapping her fingers and clearly trying to manipulate the mist.

Unfortunately, the guy was either a demigod, a legacy, or could just see through the Mist, because he just said in his heavily accented English; "I already told you _signoria_, this space is reserved for _signore_ Riordan when he comes here on Martedí for some research project."

"We won't be here until Tuesday," Annabeth demanded, "we're just here for the weekend. From Venderdí to Domenica."

"_Nonnio_," The little girl said to her grandfather. She had her black hair braided into two braids, and her black eyes reflected the sparkle of her purple rainboots. In other words, she looked freakishly like Reyna. "_Basta permettere loro di parcheggiare qui, signore Riordan non sapere._"

"My _nipote_ has convinced me to let you park it here." The old man said stiffly, "Oh, well, but be gone by Domenica. You hear that, _andato._ Gone!"

The old man started pulling his granddaughter away, but she turned back to where Annabeth and Frank were standing, and time froze, all except for them and her.

"_Beware the sister._" The little girl said. "_She could lead you to the destruction of the Earth, or to your destruction. Choose wisely. Follow the song to find the terror you seek."_

Then time unfroze, and the little girl skipped cheerfully away as if nothing had happened. "Did that just happen?" Frank asked Annabeth, and she nodded in reply. As if on cue, they turned around to see Leo pulling a very sleepy Percy, a very annoyed-looking Piper, and an asleep Jason onto the top deck while Hazel trailed behind them, clearly awake, but in her pajamas. Leo stared at one of the cars across the dock and he and Annabeth both jumped in shock.

"_Ci Sei Tu."_ Annabeth said amazed. "Follow the song. _That's_ what she meant! That little girl was a Sybil! That's why she seemed so creepy!"

Frank had no idea what she was talking about, since he couldn't speak Italian, and really, the only thing he'd thought was creepy about the little girl was how much she freakishly looked like Reyna.

"Leo!" Annabeth called. "We need to find where that song was coming from!"

"What song?" Both Jason and Percy mumbled unanimously, which earned both of them slaps from Piper.

"Go get dressed!" Annabeth called again. "Then I'll explain."

When they came down all dressed, everyone went into the lounge and sat around the coffee table. Annabeth explained about her conversation with Leo earlier in the day, both of them seemed to be skirting around details, but Frank didn't care, he was just amazed that that little girl was telling the future. "Are you sure about this?" Jason asked.

"Absolutely positive." Annabeth answered, and so they all got off the boat to go talk to the people in the car that was blaring music.

The car turned out to be a dark blue convertible that had three rows of seats instead of the usual one or two that came with convertibles. The license plate said DNTCARE, which Frank guessed wasn't a very warm welcome to them. A girl who looked about fourteen with black hair and blue streaks who was wearing the same color as the car sat in the passenger's seat, and a guy who looked about sixteen and who had black messy hair and who was wearing all black including black sunglasses and a black fedora was in the driver's seat, and he looked kind of spacey, almost _possessed._ Frank shivered and shook that thought from his mind. The guy clearly was just listening to his IPod.

"Is that?..." Annabeth asked, trailing off, then whispering to herself, "no, it can't be. He's younger."

"What do you want?" The girl asked, pulling her black sunglasses down to get a good look at them. When she saw the seven, she immediately smiled. "We've been waiting for you." She said.

Normally, those aren't good words to hear, but Frank figured that if she turned into a monster, the seven of them could take her… easily.

"You're HOO right?" The girl asked, "We've been hired to take you to Nek's concert at the Coliseum tonight." She handed them backstage passes and tickets. "I'm Raven, and this is Ni…I mean Ryan." For a second, Raven's smile faded into a worried expression, but it quickly returned.

"Yeah…" Frank said carefully, "We're HOO."

"Good." Raven replied, blowing her blue-streaked bangs out of her face, "get in. Let's go."

There weren't enough seats for everyone in the car, so Piper ended up sitting on Jason's lap, which made them both look really uncomfortable, and made the ride pretty awkward. Frank, Hazel, and Leo sat in the middle seats, while Percy, Annabeth, Jason, and Piper sat in the back.

The car ride was going smoothly, and was pretty fine, except for the fact that the only song the car played was _Ci Sei Tu_ which got pretty annoying after a while. Frank rolled the window down once, but decided that was a bad idea when he saw a girl in an orange shirt that said _Campo di Mezzo-Sangue_ in sharpie who was clutching a small green book with the head of a gorgon on it and she screamed like she was being chased by the creature on the front of the book. He decided to keep the window up after that. When they started passing a field, Percy yelled "Stop!" And Ryan stopped the car without question. Raven didn't even ask why they were stopping, she just stayed put and let the seven open their doors and run out of the car.

Apparently, Percy was right to stop the car, because Frank turned into an eagle, did a quick survey of the area and he found that Porphyrion and a ton of Lybian anacondas were guarding the Doors of Death themselves.

Everyone brought their armor out of their backpacks, everyone that is, except for Percy, who just put on torso armor. Annabeth called all of them together, shot a suspicious look at Raven and Ryan, and took a breath, for what Frank assumed would be a battle strategy talk. Frank really quickly noticed that Annabeth was holding the thick book that Reyna had given her in the hand that didn't hold her bronze knife, and he smiled, knowing what was coming next.


	10. The Silver Fire

"Listen," **Annabeth** said, her stormy eyes gleaming under the polished bronze of her helmet, making her look like some underworld warrior, "Forget camp. Forget leaders. Forget boyfriends, and girlfriends, and crushes. Forget every concept, however noble, that you imagine you fight for today. Act for this alone: for the person who stands at your shoulder. They are everything, and everything is contained within them. Their shield will protect you, and yours protect them. If I see any of you crying, or running from this fight then I will personally track you down and dishonor you by hanging your shield upside down and posting every video of the Stoll brothers pranking you on Youtube. Is this clear?"

A chorus of _yes mam'_s and _please don't kill me'_s rang through the seven. Annabeth drew her bronze knife from her belt and internally praised herself for remembering one of the best quotes from the Gates of Fire, a book by Steven Pressfield that Reyna had loaned to her (best thing to give a strategist…ever.) Knowing what this battle for control of the doors of death could have in store for her, she marched on; the prophecy Rachel had recited still ringing from her ears:

_Wisdom's daughter walks alone_

_The Mark of Athena burns through Rome_

_The seven will fight at the Doors of Death_

_And unleash Athena's Mark in a would-be final breath_

_The pathway of fire shall lead the way_

_Forgetfulness shall save the day_

_And while heroes fight to save their lives_

_Gaea awakens and for renewal she strives_

_Don't think about it_. She whispered to herself, _someone's going to have to have the would-be final breath, it might as well be me._

"Piper," She commanded, "You go to the Doors of Death and try to _convince_ them to open. Leo, Hazel, and Frank, you guys take on the Lybian Anacondas. Jason, Percy, and I will try to kill Porphyrion. Got it?"

Once again, scared replies rang through the small group as they poised to take their spots. Annabeth looked back at Piper who was talking to the metal bars and earthen tendrils that, when opened, would rescue Nico, and give them control of the Doors of Death.

"Ready?" She whispered to the two most powerful demigods to be born into this century.

"As I'll ever be." Percy smiled back at her. Jason just nodded his head solemnly.

As they approached, Porphyrion laughed. "Ah, Jason." He boomed, his voice echoing and bouncing off the ruined marble columns. "I see you have come back to try and kill me again. Ooh! And you brought snacks! How thoughtful of you! Alas, your attempt will be in vain, because I am Porphyrion, the king of the giants!"

"You're no king." Annabeth stated calmly, making Porphyrion turn to her in rage. "A king does not abide within his tent while his men bleed and die upon the field. A king does not dine while his men go hungry, not sleep when they stand at watch upon the wall. A king does not command his men's loyalty though fear, nor purchase it with gold (or promises he doesn't intend to keep); he earns their love by the sweat of his own back and the pains he endures for their sake. That which compromises the harshest burden, a king lifts first and sets down last. A king does not require service of those he leads but provides it to them. He serves them, not they him. You're no king; you're just some lazy son of Gaea who can't get off his fat _arse_ to destroy some little heroes. You meet none of the classifications I just listed above; therefore you are no king, nor will I ever give you the respect I would give a _real_ king."

For a moment, Porphyrion just stared in shock at the little blonde demigod with the Spartan helmet that radiated pure terror, trying to comprehend the words she had just said. How dare she insult the most noble giant of them all, born to oppose Zeus? He deserved to be king just as much as his Mother Gaea said he did. Didn't he? Or was his mother just lying to him like she did in the last war? He _had_ to be her favorite, or else he wasn't going to support her cause.

"I was born to oppose Zeus you tiny blonde morsel! If I do not deserve to be king then he doesn't either!"

"True…" Annabeth concluded as the sky rumbled above her, "but Zeus was wise enough to seek the consul of his female counterparts, whereas you just have your mother, and all your brothers. It's really a shame… a couple of daughters or granddaughters might've given you an upper hand in this war. Too bad there aren't any giant women in your family besides your half-awake mother."

"So it is an intellectual debate you seek, too bad Enceladus is still in Tartarus; he would make your battle more like that. Now, you fight me, I have been only bested by Herakles, or was it Hercules? No, I'm pretty sure it was Herakles. Bah! This Greek and Roman translations confuse me!"

The gears in Annabeth's mind were turning at the speed of light as she whispered something to Jason and Percy… who immediately started conversing in a mixture of Greek and Latin.

"Who cares about language?" Porphyrion bellowed. "It is fear that should be transpiring in your heart at the sight of me!"

"Yes, but the opposite of fear is love, and I have a different type for each of my comrades. If you are going to be slain, it is by my hand!"

"Who knew children of Athena could be so foolish?"

"You know, Arachne thought that too, now she's tangled up in a sarcophagus of spiders' webs, and she was a _female_." And with that, three of the most powerful demigods in the century attacked at once. Annabeth was working on attacking his hands, if only he would swat her away… then maybe, just maybe, the Mark of Athena would kick into action. What she got was better; as he swatted her away, one of the daggers fell out of his hair and pierced her in the abdomen. She fell to the ground in pain. Luckily, Percy and Jason were still too busy fighting to notice.

**Hazel** and Piper understood. They ran to the fallen hero's side. Piper offered to try her charmspeak-healing she'd just discovered, but Annabeth refused.

"This is for the better." She kept repeating, confusing them both. "This is for the better." Annabeth's painful laugh was hollow. They removed her Spartan helmet and watched as her grey eyes started to turn silver.

"Tell…Percy…see…soon…Doors…of…Death…" Piper and Hazel understood. They watched as Annabeth's now-silver eyes closed. Hazel kept holding Annabeth's spirit's hand as she was carried to the Doors of Death; the nearest entrance to the Underworld.

The now-dead Annabeth's body was filled with an extraordinary light. Her eyes flew open, but the color of them was more _intense_. The olive trees around the battle were lit with a silver fire. Annabeth (was it Annabeth? Hazel was still holding the spirit's hand.) pointed at the giant Percy and Jason were fighting. The silver flames advanced and a cloud of smoke enveloped all three of them. Hazel knew she had to keep them distracted, if Percy found out his girlfriend had died, he would forget all about the mission. She sent gems to pop up around Frank's feet saying _Keep Percy distracted, Annabeth's almost there_. Luckily, he got the message.

"Hey Percy, Jason!" Frank yelled, "The Anacondas are advancing, care to help?" They immediately rushed over. Just in time; Piper, Hazel, and Annabeth's spirit had reached the Doors of Death.

"Okay Piper!" Hazel shouted over the howling wind. "Make the doors open and hold them that way!" Piper did as she was told. Meanwhile, Annabeth's mouth opened and spoke. The tone was harsh and demanding.

"Grandmother Gaea, you have caused enough Chaos for today, I hereby condemn you back to a peaceful slumber with the Mark of Athena, for I am Athena, and killing my favorite daughter crosses the line!" Now Hazel understood who was inhabiting Annabeth's body. Porphyrion sank into the earth, silver smoke curling around him and tying him up as the spiders had tied Arachne. The light faded out of Annabeth's eyes, Piper got the Doors open, the last Anaconda was killed, and Nico di Angelo stepped out of the Doors, Annabeth's spirit in his arms.

Her body fell to the ground numb. Nico walked over and chanted a couple of words in Ancient Greek and the spirit and body were connected. Hazel's mind went over the prophecy:

_Wisdom's daughter walks alone_

That one was obviously Annabeth being without Percy for six months.

_The Mark of Athena burns through Rome._

That had just happened; the Mark of Athena was the silver fire that had engulfed the olive trees in flame.

_The seven will fight at the doors of death._

Also had just happened; they'd fought like wildfire.

_And unleash Athena's Mark in a would-be final breath_

That had happened when Annabeth "died", causing the Mark of Athena

_The pathway of fire shall lead the way_

Hazel still wasn't sure about this one. What was it leading to?

_Forgetfulness shall save the day_

What could that be talking about? Both Percy and Jason had all their memories back, and no one else on this quest had lost their memory

_And while heroes fight to save their lives_

Another fight? Hazel didn't like the sound of that. They were already tired as it was.

_Gaea awakens and for renewal she strives_

This really didn't make sense. Athena had just postponed Gaea's full awakening, so why did this give Hazel such a feeling of dread?

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**Ha! Ha! My first cliffy! At least, it is at the time I write this. For any of you people who are _real_ strategists and could-be-daughters-of-Athena, yes, I did quote a lot from the Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield. It's a great book for strategy, and it just has the most Annabeth/Reyna sounding quotes in the world. Go Sparta! Anyway… you guys send in what you think the last parts of the prophecy mean. I already know, but I'd like to read your guys' opinions. Here's the question for today: If you could choose one character that matched your personality, one that matched how you look, and one that matched your luck in romance (yes Aphrodite, some of us aren't as lucky as your children) send them in. I'll do mine right now. Annabeth for personality. I know, I know, but I really am smart, my homeroom class dubbed me G squared (Greek Genius) at the end of the school year, and to top it off, I love reading about Ancient Greece and have since first grade. Reyna for looks. I have the dark hair and eyes and all that… yeah, not many characters that I feel look like me. Lastly for romance, again Reyna. I never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever get the guy. And as you all can tell from the first chapter of the real Mark of Athena, neither does Reyna. Anyway, Rate and Review.**

**Smiles,**

**Readingqueen811**


	11. Raven's Revenge

**Wow! Third chapter today! Told you I was on a roll! Trying to get far enough that my conscience won't bother me tonight, so I can start working on "Of Southern Bells and Silver Swords" and "I'm Still Trying" and doing more research for my "House of Hades" (which will have no relation to this story). Here comes a plot twist!**

**Percy **was kind of freaked out when he found out that his girlfriend had just died and come back through the Doors of Death, but he had no idea just how freaked out he would be this day. The seven all got back into the convertible, where Raven and Ryan were still sitting, seeming as if they hadn't just seen the battle. Percy was grateful for that. He didn't' need to do more explaining than he already would have to do when he saw his mom again.

The sun was going down as they continued on their way to the Coliseum. He held Annabeth's hand the entire time, scared of losing her again. Ryan stopped the car a few feet away from the exit to get on the road that would take them there.

"Why are we stopping?" He asked.

"Get out of the car." Was Ryan's monotonous reply.

Percy got out of the car, looking around; ready for a fight. The rest of the seven followed, and Percy was glad they were there to back him up in case Raven and Ryan turned into maniac monsters or something.

"Now Percy," Raven said smiling, "You wouldn't want to hurt your sister. Even if she _was_ working for Gaea."

The words hit Percy full on; he'd never have thought he'd had a sister. Poseidon _had_ promised to send him some siblings, but maybe he was waiting until after the war…

"Don't you get it?" Raven asked her glare still on the seven. "Gaea's been the _only_ parent who cared about me. Your so called loyal father didn't even show up. He knows that's because, if he claims me, he dies. Breaking an oath on the river Styx twice in a row is dangerous if you're a god…very dangerous, and for _Neptune_, unlike Poseidon, it's even more dangerous, being a Roman. You all thought it would be Annabeth, didn't you. Perseus is loyal to his family; he's not going to give up on his sister after all this time, even if she is fighting against him."

All eyes were on Percy. He himself knew that it was true; he couldn't help but feel sorry for this poor girl who had lost her family and was under the influence of Gaea. Still, she seemed…devious. She was a couple years younger than him. At most fourteen. Her hair was covered in dark blue streaks and was uneven. Not like Piper's where it actually looked beautiful, on Raven it looked…evil.

"You guys want to know something? I had a twin brother. His name was Blake. He fell. From this. From this platform. It was strangely covered in ice. He told me to run from Gaea. He tried, and fell. That was what that prophecy meant. Neptune didn't even save him. From then on I knew who was really on my side. Gaea let me hold him in my arms as he died even though he betrayed her. Now _that_ is a loyal parent."

There was an awkward silence. They had to admit, Gaea wasn't _all_ evil. She might even be a good mother if she wasn't trying to kill all her grandchildren. Percy almost gave in to Raven, but one glance from Annabeth, and he knew the plan.

"Fine." He grumbled. "What does Gaea want from me?"

Raven smiled, her dark blue eyes glinting mischievously. "Oh Perseus Jackson, she wants you to have a front row seat in the destruction of everything you stand for." Her tone suddenly changed as she handed him a blue tuxedo. "Now seriously, get in the tux." Raven turned to Annabeth, handing her a black and white dress with black armbands. "Gaea's very excited to have you in the audience. As for the rest of you…" Formal wear was handed out. Each of the girls receiving armbands and the guys receiving ties. "Change." Raven commanded them, shoving them toward the Coliseum. "Now." Raven paused before turning away from them. "Oh, and by the way, we have Nico. Gaea made him older, taught him how to drive, possessed him and basically turned into Ryan, so you won't win this thing." Percy looked towards the car where Ryan/Nico was sitting, and saw a green flash of light, he blinked, thinking it was just his imagination, and turned toward the dressing rooms.

Percy had to admit. They all looked amazing. Except for the fact that the cuffs of his tuxedo's sleeves were restricting him from reaching his pocket where Riptide was located. The other guys seemed to be having that problem too. For the girls it was that the armbands that were keeping them from moving that far.

Piper was looking uncomfortable in her really short pink dress as her armbands handcuffed her to Jason who was wearing a white tuxedo. They both were struggling to free themselves. As Percy examined the room, he noticed other couples having the same problem. Frank in a black tuxedo was handcuffed to Hazel who was wearing a black and yellow dress. The funniest part was that it had backfired on Raven too. Her blue armbands that matched her dark blue and white dress had handcuffed her to Leo, who was in a purple tuxedo and who looked pretty happy about the arrangement.

Then Annabeth came over in her black and white dress. Her armbands were encircling her arms like vines. "Whatever you do, do not grab hands. Link arms, or something, but do not grab hands." She muttered to him.

As soon as they entered the bright lights of the Coliseum, **Annabeth** knew something was wrong. For one thing, Raven was having _way_ too much fun with Leo…and he was having _way_ too much fun with her. "Leo!" She wanted to shout. "Remember T-H-A-L-I-A! The girl who actually might date you now!" Annabeth had to admit, Raven looked like a darker, younger, more evil, sadder version of Thalia. With the blue eyes and dark makeup, it was a close call. But she knew that Raven was just manipulating one of Leo's weaknesses…as she would soon do to the rest of them.

Raven led them all out to the photo booth. "Just so that we can remember this _happy, happy_ day." Was her excuse, but Annabeth didn't buy it for a minute. She slipped Leo a screwdriver before he went in with Raven (they were the first couple), hoping that he could do something to make Raven let them go. Instead, Leo walked out smiling and giggling… GIGGLING!

Annabeth was so mad that she was pretty sure Percy's arm was losing circulation, but when they went into the photo booth, she saw that Leo actually _had_ been doing something other than flirting with Raven: in the short time he was in there, he had found a device to unclip their handcuffs.

Annabeth and Percy smiled for the camera and had their handcuffs removed, but kept linking arms so Raven wouldn't suspect anything. Raven led them to a set of eight seats that were floating above the mortals' heads, and then she dragged Leo down the steps to the stage where Nek was supposed to be playing that night. A thousand Italian girls were surrounding the stage wearing t-shirts and holding up signs that said _Vi Vogliamo Bene Nek!_ All those girls were chanting "_Vogliamo Nek! Dacci Nek! Dove si trova Nek?_" Raven walked onto the stage, ignoring all the screaming girls, and pulling Leo onstage.

All the fangirls obviously thought that Leo was Nek, and started screaming. "Who will be the sacrifice to wake Gaea?" Raven asked, and then repeated it in Italian, "_Chi sarà il sacrificio di svegliarsi Terra?_" The girls must've thought that it was part of the concert, because they screamed loudly. The ground wrapped around three girls' feet and shot them like a cannon onto the stage, where they were trapped in earthen cages, yet they still screamed, overjoyed, and reached their eager little hands over to Leo who seemed to be enjoying the attention.

Raven turned to Leo. "Who do you want to be the sacrifice?" She asked him, then whispered something into his ear. Leo had obviously never had a girl this close to him before, so he seemed to be hyperventilating. Leo looked at all the mortals who were trapped in the cages, they hadn't done anything, and Annabeth hoped that Leo would spare all of them, there'd been enough mortal casualties in the last war.

"Umm. Uh…" Leo stuttered, and Annabeth rolled her eyes, she couldn't believe she was counting on Leo to save those mortals!


End file.
